Whispers in the Dark
by pknumba1
Summary: Everything changes when Kale's father dies and her mother abandons her. She's taken in by her cousin and soon develops an interest in alchemy. Soon, she meets a blond golden-eyed boy and his brother in armor, who make her look at life a new way.
1. Prolouge

"And here, we finally come to the main event," Clyde said as he opened the door, "Your room."

I mentally braced myself for anything. At this point, I had so much thrown my way I wasn't sure how much more I was going to take. Which was probably unfair on their behalf. They were the only ones kind enough who offered me a home aside my own family and friends. However, when it came to total strangers, I always expected the worst. Sometimes, they came to those expectations, as well as those you knew for so long.

I didn't want pink. I know that seems kind of alien coming from an eight-year-old. I was not ready for warmth and anything bright that emotionally scare me. They expected me to be happy with a new family, but I was too prideful.

Instead the first thing I saw was yellow. Or rather it looked yellow from the way the autumn sun shone through the yellow curtains. The walls themselves were an ivory shade. The bedspread was also yellow, give or take a few red and blue flowers that danced across the comforter.

I only captured this much when I realized the traffic jam in the hallway in front of the door. Clyde, who had been leading this little tour, had stepped aside, leaving me in the doorway. I guess they wanted me to walk in first. So I did.

The room size wasn't much. It was either too small or not small enough, but not big enough to be called a medium-sized room. There were two windows on the opposite wall reaching from the floor to the ceiling. On my right stood an old Victorian dresser with a mirror hanging over it. Beyond that was a cream colored door, which I assumed to be the closet. I walked over to it and opened the door. It wasn't much. I secretly wondered how I was supposed to hang half my clothes in there. The dresser itself didn't look very promising of space either.

"So, the bathroom is past our room and up the small flight of stairs. I know everything seems threatening with the small space up here. Our room isn't much bigger than this one, but we have the large living room, library, and kitchen downstairs to make up for it."

Clyde smiled at me, and again I tried to force one myself. I've known this man my whole life. Why is everything feeling so awkward now? Was it because I was officially living with him and Marie? I had no idea, other than the fact he would be the last person in the world I would imagine to end up with my cousin, who was so uptight, she wasn't even trying to smile on his attempts. At least I was.

Marie continued to stand in the hallway with her arms crossed over her chest. She wore a thick cotton sweater, and even though it was mid-fall, the house was sweltering hot. For as long as I knew her, she always wore long sleeves, even during the summer. I was confused as to whether she had low blood pressure, or her skin couldn't be exposed to the sun.

"The thermostat's at the base of the stairs if you ever want to adjust it," Clyde was now saying, "Me, I like to have a bit of a chill in the air, but your cousin would rather this place to boiling. So if you even turn it down a tad, she'll most likely jack it back up within moments."

He smiled again, and I did the same. _I don't want to do this anymore, _I whined inside my head. I sensed Marie shifting her weight in the doorway, but she stayed silent. A couple times I could feel her eyes burning into my back as she gazed at me.

"Oh! And one more thing," Clyde said as he clapped his hands and walked to one of the windows. "This is the best part." He waved me over and I followed him.

Looking out the window, I saw an unfinished garden. The only way I could tell was there was one section where a lot more dirt was exposed while the rest of the garden flourished with plants and flowers from foreign regions. This particular section was shaped into a circle about fifteen feet wide and three feet deep. Small rocks lining the edge closed it off from the rest of the garden.

"It's going to be a pond," Clyde said.

"Really?" I said.

"Yep. Equipped with the natural, a waterfall and fish. What do you think of that?"

I felt him look at me, waiting for something. "Yeah," I said, "That sounds cool."

He gave a cheesy grin and looked behind him at Marie. "Hear that, Marie? _She_ doesn't think I'm crazy."

I looked back at my cousin. She had walked into the room by a little ways. Her arms still crossed over her chest as she stood there watching us. Or, watching me. Then she opened her mouth to speak since the first time we left the driveway.

"It's cold," She said, "You should get away from the window."


	2. Chapter 1

**I missed this part in the prologue. This is my first-ever fanfic. so if it sucks, I'm sorry. Please read and review, I'd like to know how I'm doing with this story and my writing. Thanks! :)**

* * *

_What am I doing here? _I thought as I rubbed the palm of my hand with my opposing thumb. I stared down at them with my eyebrows pinched together. I told myself I could handle this. It was just a test right? I had been practicing and studying alchemy for the past four years, so I should not have any trouble.

_Then why am I so nervous? _I asked myself. I was never a good test-taker, no matter what the subject. I would study to a point where I had everything burned into my brain, and then when it came to taking the test, I would completely bomb it. However, there were times when it was the other way around. I would think I was doing horrible while taking the test and then ace it.

On top of my anxiety, I took a good look around the room and noticed that I was most likely the youngest out of all the people around. Not to mention, the only female. Great. I was not sure how to live up to the superiors' standards and expectations if I was outnumbered and the youngest around.

Suddenly, my gaze rested on a small boy sitting across the room. He had long blond hair that was tied back into a braid. He wore a red coat with a black outfit. Sitting next to him was a large man in a shiny suit of armor. I stared at them with a strange look on my face as I wondered, what is a suit of armor doing in Central, and taking a State Alchemists exam of all things?

Still, seeing the boy put me at ease a little. At least I wasn't the only kid taking an exam meant for adults who had studied their whole lives on this subject. I sighed with relief and looked at my hands again, which were now resting in my lap.

I looked up again and someone had placed the test on the table in front of me.

"You have 50 minutes to complete the test," said a man at the front of the room, "You may begin now." Then he banged the gravel on the podium.

_50 minutes?? No one told me this test was timed! All right, calm down, Kale. You're not going to take it well if you panic. _Taking a deep breath, I picked up my pencil and started reading.

_Here goes nothing…_

Later

After the test was finally over, I walked out of the building and into the bright sunshine. Covering my eyes, I looked for my two cousins. I spotted them and began to walk towards them.

"Hey, there she is," said Clyde, noticing me. "So, how was it?"

"Brutal," I said flatly, "I didn't know I was being timed, so I felt like I was being rushed."

"Did you finish the test, at least?" asked Marie. She was wearing a long-sleeved yellow sweater, even though it was well over 70 degrees. However, she only wore light-colored long sleeved shirts that way she wouldn't be overheated.

"Yeah," I said, sighing, "I barley did. It still doesn't change the fact of how well I did."

"Don't worry, Kale. I'm sure you did fine. You've practically done nothing else but study since you came to live with us." Clyde said.

"Well…I did other things besides that. I would've been pretty dull if I did nothing but study alchemy for four years," I said as I shuffled my feet.

"Nah, I wouldn't say you'd be _completely_ dull," said a voice behind me.

I whipped around and saw the boy from before standing there with a smirk on his face and his arms crossed. This time I was able to get a good look at him and the first thing I noticed were his eyes: golden. They seemed to pierce right through me and see the very depths of my soul. All those years of building walls to keep others out with no eye contact, crossing my arms, or showing no interest whatsoever, he had penetrated them in a single second with those eyes and that smirk.

_How dare he?_

Needless to say, I was at a loss for words. I wanted to defend myself without coming across as rude. "What makes you say that?" I asked.

"I think anyone who spends a lot of their time working for something, should not be considered dull," he said while grinning, "Especially if they have been working on it for four years. That's what equivalent exchange is, right?"

I nodded. That phrase was repeated numerous times in almost every alchemy book I read, and I could rephrase it, and its' principles in my sleep. I thrived on learning alchemy and for that, I was grateful. It was something different from music and art, which were other gifts I had. Knowledge was something I thirsted for and learning alchemy gave me the opportunity. Once I understood it, I felt I could understand just about everything else.

"By the way, my name's Edward Elric. What's yours?"

"Kale. Kale Jensen. These are my cousins, Clyde and Marie," I said, suddenly remembering my family behind me.

Edward stuck his hand out and I shook it. "Nice to meet you, Kale. You too, Clyde and Marie."

"Likewise," Clyde said smiling and Marie nodded.

Just then, the suit of armor from before walked up. I got a good look at him, too, however I didn't know he was so large.

"Brother, you sure like to wander off don't you?" he was saying. Surprisingly, he had the voice of a young child. It caught me off guard and I felt my eyes widen. Beside me, Clyde's eyebrows raised and Marie's lips parted.

Edward smiled up at him. "Don't worry about me, Al. This is the girl I pointed out to you before." Turning towards me, he says, "Kale, this is my little brother, Alphonse. Al, this is Kale Jensen and her cousins, Clyde and Marie."

"_Little _brother?" I asked as my eyes grew even wider, "He's taller than you!"

It was now Edward's turn to be shocked as his jaw dropped and skin turn white as snow. Backing away from him, Alphonse snickered to himself. He did so as if Edward were a time bomb on the verge of exploding.

"What?" I asked, "Did I strike a nerve?"

"Maybe," Alphonse said, still laughing and waving his hands defensively, "He hates it when people notice our height differences. He gets picked on a lot."

"Oh" _I know how that feels, but he's taller than me. Why should he worry?_

Edward was still in his electrified stance by this time, and I wondered if his heart stopped or if he somehow hurt himself. I didn't know anyone could be bothered so much by a height comment. This guy was really something else.

Reaching over, I poked him in the shoulder. "Is he going to be alright?"

Edward was obviously delicate at this point, because once I poked him, he collapsed to the ground. Jaw still dropped and skin as pale as the moon. He really didn't like the fact that his younger brother was taller than him.

I raised an eyebrow and bent over looking at him. Clyde came up behind me and did the same as Marie followed as she muttered, "Oh, my."

"Hey little man, are you gonna make it?" Clyde asked, shaking Edward's shoulder.

What happened next took less than five seconds. Edward jumped to his feet in a rampage. His skin went from white to an angry red, and his front teeth almost seemed to turn into fangs. His pupils were no longer visible as he flailed his arms around like a madman and screamed at the top of his lungs, "I'M NOT LITTLE!! AND I'M NOT A SHRIMP OR A BEAN OR AN ANT SO TINY THAT HE CAN'T GET SQAUSHED IN THE CREVESES OF A SHOE!!"

Now, usually I would get nervous around people who would raise their voices even a little. Although, watching Edward denying his shortness with his little rant was kind of amusing. I felt a snort escape my throat and tried to hold back anything else by biting my lip. Still, a smile broke through.

Alphonse was now holding the thrashing Edward back by coaxing him, and telling him that Clyde didn't mean anything personal by his comment.

"So, you've got a bit of a temper, do you small boy?" Clyde asked as a mischievous grin spread across his face.

"Clyde, don't provoke him." Marie said, rolling her eyes.

"Sorry about that, Edward. When Clyde was born, the doctor had to pry his little foot out of his big mouth." I said, glaring at my cousins' husband.

Edward seemed to calm down after that input. He then smirked at looked up at the eldest. "Is that so?" he asked.

Clyde shrugged as he glanced away, also smirking.

"Enough of this crap," Edward said, as he fixed his overcoat which had begun to slide off him from Alphonse holding him back during his charade, then he turned towards me. "How do you think you did on the test?"

"I don't know. We'll see. I was really nervous before." I said as my shoulders slumped.

"Don't underestimate yourself. I'm sure you did fine," said Edward as he waved his hand defensively.

I stared at my shoes. It was no use telling him about how anxious I get when it comes to taking tests. If I didn't get a State Alchemist title, what else was I going to do? My hometown was now captured and under the control of my uncle. The citizens were suffering from my mistake because I was a stupid little girl who's father couldn't rescue her.

Everything was my fault.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and my muscles stiffened under the touch. I glanced behind me and noticed it was Marie. She wore a sympathetic look on her face as if she knew what I was struggling with.

"Even if you don't get the title this year, there's always next year, and the year after that. You don't have to start at the age of 12." She said softly.

I brushed her hand off my shoulder and spun around to face her. "I'm tired of waiting. The more I wait, the more my family and friends are going to suffer! I can never go home until I pass! My friends are in jeopardy because of what happened and I need to put my uncle in his rightful place," I said trying to keep my voice at a minimum, though it was hard since I was seething a little.

"I know, Kale. You're not the only one who's hurting here. They're my family too." She whispered.

Clyde bent down to look into my eyes. "We're doing everything we can to help you fight through this," He said softly, "We _know _it's not your fault, alright? We _know._"

Gulping back tears, I lowered my head so my bangs covered my face. I slowly nodded my understanding.

The two brothers felt the atmosphere change and exchanged concerned glances. "What's wrong?" Edward asked.

I turned around to face him. "Nothing," I said, hoping to change the subject. "How did you guys do?"

Edward scowled as he rubbed his head. "I didn't even get to finish it. I can't believe they expected us to take that whole thing in under an hour!"

"You at least finished most of it, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I left a pretty good chunk of it blank." He said, crossing his arms.

" I finished it," said Alphonse, "Although, I agree with you, it was pretty hard."

I glanced at my watch, wondering how much time has passed since I walked out of the building. "When is the personal interview?" I asked out loud.

"There's an interview, too?" Marie asked, looking at me.

"Yep, it's in a few minutes." Edward replied, as he put his arms behind his head.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets as I thought about what sorts of things the military would ask me. Do they know about my past? If they do, would they believe me about my innocence? Suddenly, I was afraid they would send me away as soon as they read my files after what I've been accused of.

_Wait a minute,_ _I'm only 12. _I thought to myself._ They would believe an innocent girl over a madman right?_

There was no telling how much the military knew, since I didn't have enough time to think it over because I was being interrupted by a voice calling from a distance,

"Edward! Alphonse!"

"Brother, Colonel Mustang wants us," said Alphonse as he pointed to a man in a military uniform with black hair.

"Guess we'd better go see what he wants," said Edward. "I'll see you at the interview, Kale."

"Alright, bye." I said.

The boy and the armor turned and headed toward the side of the building where Mustang stood, waiting.

"I'd better head inside and get ready. I don't want to be late." I said as I scratched the bridge of my nose, hoping to appear nonchalant. The truth was, my anxiety was returning.

"Okay, Kale." Marie said, as Clyde put an arm around his wife.

I ran my fingers through my dark blonde hair, sighed, and then turned and walked towards the main building.

"Don't forget to loosen up, kiddo." Clyde called out as he waved.

I kept walking, then decided against the idea of not hearing him and letting my nervousness swallow me whole.

Without turning, I waved back, opened the door and walked through Central Headquarters.

* * *


	3. Chapter 2

My father died. And I was there.

This was how my reputation started. I was no longer Kale Jensen, daughter of Sabrina, who held a local organization helping those with Down Syndrome cope with the world as individuals. Not even the one-time holder of the record for the one hundred-meter dash for the elementary division. Nope. I was Kale Jensen, who woke up on the morning on the eve of her seventh birthday and saw her dad wedged between our house and the large dumpster on the side of our apartment. I saw him die. That was who I was.

It was also when the face started. At first it didn't bother me, until I began to see it everywhere. Once people all over town heard the story, or saw me and remembered it, they always made the face. I took it as a meaningless gesture even though it was intended for me. The usual cock of the head to the side and the softening of the jaw line as if to say _Oh my goodness, you poor thing. _I took it as nothing. Absolutely nothing. I hated that face. I saw it everywhere.

The first time I saw it was at the hospital. I was sitting in those very uncomfortable plastic chairs in the waiting room. My mom had walked into the small hallway that lead to the emergency room where my dad was about fifteen minutes before then. I knew what was coming. I also denied it, but I waited for it. I waited for the moment for someone to say it as if to prove it. My dad was dead. I knew as soon as my mom crossed the room towards me and embraced me. She cried silently, though she was shaking. It reminded me of a leaf trembling just before losing its strength to hold onto the edges of the branch. Then it would snap off and slowly flutter to the ground. Behind her there was a nurse with bright red hair holding a chart, and she saw me there being held by my mom with my big brown eyes looking back at her, in my pink t-shirt and white p.j pants with roses on them, and she made the face. _Oh no, poor dear. _I had no idea then, how it would follow me.

The Face was also at the funeral. It was like a common mask that people wore as they sat together quietly murmuring in the pews, standing and gathering in clusters sporadically in the room, shooting me sideways glances and hushing once I walked by as if they were talking about me. I kept my gaze averted and continued walking away, still feeling their stares on my back. Beside me, my mother sobbed, throughout the ceremony, in the car as we rode to the cemetery, and at the reception afterwards. I put my hand on her arm as she dabbed her face with a tissue. She then would smile down at me and give me a sideways hug. I thought she cried so much, it would be wrong for me to even shed a tear, even if I tried. For anyone else to join in was just overkill.

I hated that my dad was gone. I hated for being a spoiled brat who deliberately disobeyed to get her own way. I blamed myself for wanting his attention when my birthday was coming up. I hated that I went by the theory of maturity coming with age. I was turning seven, and I thought I was old enough to think for myself and do whatever I want.

For my birthday, I wanted a silver locket with my initials graved on the front. I liked silver better because I thought it made me look older. I had begged and begged my mom for one, but she kept saying, "Maybe", as if it were possible. Instead I got an old doll that my mom had gotten for her seventh birthday, who got it from her mom, who also received it on her seventh birthday. I hated that doll. I thought it was ugly and old. It's once curly and springy hair hung on her back like a dead animal. The side of her face had a small chip in it. The dress she wore I could tell was once a pretty shade of light blue with pink flowers, and it was tied together by a pale pink ribbon at the waist. The dress was so faded with age that it was almost white. The flowers were barely visible except for their white outlines. And the once pretty ribbon was frayed at the edges and had so many tears in it; any movement seemed to threaten to rip it to shreds. Her eyes were a dull hazel color. I remember having a hard time figuring out if they were green or gray. All I knew is that they didn't match my eyes, and that was another reason why I hated it.

I tossed it down the garbage shoot that was outside our apartment in the hallway. I thought up a good, detailed story of me bringing it to school and accidentally leaving it on the playground during break time where it had gotten stolen. I remember smiling to myself, knowing my parents would believe me. The horrible part was I didn't feel any remorse about lying to them and purposefully throwing away a doll that was hand-made and passed down the line of generations in my mom's family.

The next morning, the day before my birthday, my mom and I were eating breakfast together in the kitchen when we heard a scream outside. Once we got there, we found our neighbor, Elsa, who was a women in her mid-fifties, standing in the driveway on the side of our apartment pointing at something behind the dumpster. My dad's hand was sticking out from behind it against the brick wall. His was body broken and rammed against the side of the building as if he were crushed to death.

How my dad died, I'm not sure. I know I had a part in it, and all because I was selfish and wanted my way. I blame myself fully for his death, even when people said it was an unfortunate event. It was no coincidence. I know because on the top layer of trash in the dumpster was my doll, lying spread-eagle as though she herself was dropped to her death.

I figured my dad must have seen her and climbed up the back of the dumpster to get her, when he lost his footing and fell behind it. I couldn't understand how he was crushed against the wall. The police and crime scene investigators had problems figuring it out themselves from the lack of evidence. The dumpster didn't have markings or dents anywhere if the garbage man backed up into it, or if a car sideswiped it and forced my dad into the wall.

That image haunted me day and night. I was out of school for a week after the funeral, and for days I lied on my bed loathing myself. I hated myself for being selfish and throwing away mom's doll (It was always her doll, it never became mine). I might have been the girl whose dad died, the girl who saw him crushed between a brick wall and a three-ton dumpster. Like so many other things, I couldn't control that. However, the fact that I was scared and angry was my secret to keep. They didn't get to have that, too. It was all mine.

--

"So. Why is it that you want to become a State Alchemist, Ms. Jensen?" asked Fuher Bradley. He had stopped taking notes, as he had been doing during the interview, and looked up at me while folding his hands.

I was waiting for this question, and I had rehearsed my answer several times in my head, so I could phrase it just right.

I cleared my throat. "I've met a lot of people in the past who see alchemy as the work of the devil, and all because of how it's used. I know alchemy can't be taken lightly, but I want to show those people that it can be used for good. Like as healing for example.

"And," I glanced down at the desk in front of me that Fuher Bradley was sitting behind, as well as the other officers. "I made a promise to someone. Once I get my title, I will restore what's been taken and broken in my family, as well as the people in my hometown."

"What if you don't get the title?" an officer with brown hair and glasses asked me. "Are you still going to give back to those what they lost?"

I paused. "I'll try. Although, I don't know how far I'll get without the boost of the military behind me. I can restore to those who need it, but I won't be able to fix what was broken."

For a while, no one said anything. Some were continuing notes they had written previously. Others were looking back at me with deep eyes that I couldn't read them. The Fuher was also still jotting down notes when he looked up at me again.

"Very well, Ms. Jensen. Thank you, and I'm sure I'll be seeing you again soon."

"Thank you." I nodded and stood up. I took it as a good sign that the Fuher thanked me and reassured me I'd see him again. Instead I became the devil's advocate and figured he was just being nice. They wouldn't reject someone right on the spot would they?

Once I was outside, I saw Clyde, Marie and Alphonse sitting on the steps having a conversation. Waiting for them to notice me, I started to walk a little slower. Pretty soon I could hear what they were saying.

"So, Alphonse," Clyde leaned his elbows on his knees. "Why do you wear armor?"

"Uh…" Alphonse stammered, looking a little nervous. "It's a…hobby."

"Oh." Clyde looked at Marie out of the corner of his eye and raised his eyebrow. Marie responded with a simple, confused shake of the head.

"Look! Kale's back!" Alphonse shouted, noticing me and pointing wildly.

I continued walking toward them, smiling out of amusement at Alphonse's random outburst. I looked around and realized we were short one person **(A/N: No pun intended there! .). **That's when I felt my heart racing. The kid with his blond hair tied in a braid, suddenly invaded my mind. Why was I acting this way? I've only known him for a little while. I never felt this way around boys before, so why start now?

I cleared my throat and stuffed my hands into my pockets. Hoping to look casual around the others when my heart was now hammering inside my chest and my face heating up like a sidewalk on a summer day. "So, where's Edward?" I asked.

"He just went inside for his interview." Alphonse replied, pointing back at the building. "He won't take long, I assume. Since you were in there for a few minutes."

_He just went in? _I thought, concerned. _That means I could have walked right passed him and not even notice! What if he saw me and said hi or something, and I just kept going because I was too busy thinking if I was accepted or not? I hope I didn't offend him. I hope I wasn't walking _too _fast to show I was in no mood to talk, when I could have been. Stop it, Kale! Quit obsessing over this! Even if that really did happen, I'm sure he wouldn't take it personally. _

I took a seat next to Marie on the steps, resting my chin on my knees and wrapping my arms around my legs, I sighed through my nose.

"How'd your interview go?" Marie asked, turning towards me.

"I think it went alright." I responded. "I was left with a 'thank you' and 'I'll be seeing you again soon.' so I'm not sure if that was a promise or not."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Marie stretched her long legs across the steps.

Unlike the rest of my family, Marie got the tall gene. She was my oldest cousin from my mom's side and always stood out among the rest of us in old family photos. My mom and her sisters were barely above 5'0, while Marie got her tallness from her dad, who stood about 6'4". Marie was stuck in the middle at the height of 5'9". I lost the number of times I envied her height just because she could wear pants that always fit her lengthwise.

At this point, I had reached 5'2" and never appreciated any jokes about my shortness. My other problem with my height was that my pants were always too long. Sometimes, if they were made to be short, they would still be too long and I would end up walking on the cuffs. They always wore out faster that way. Apparently, short isn't short enough in the public economy.

" I think the Fuher was just trying to keep my hopes up." I said, staring across the courtyard. "He wouldn't deny you to your face, would he?"

"Not if he thought you had great potential and thought you would be good enough in the military."

I whipped around at the voice. My stomach flopped as Edward stood there are the top of the stairs. He had such a demeanor that I couldn't place and I found myself unable to take my eyes off him. Still, I ripped my gaze from him so he wouldn't catch me staring at him.

"Hi there, Brother." Al said, turning around.

"Hey, Al." Ed sighed, crossed his arms and sat next to his brother.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ed grumbled. "You know, those superiors have some nerve treating me like I don't know what I'm doing here. They were so stiff and so formal about everything, they completely overlooked me!"

"I'm sure they didn't have to look over _too_ far." Clyde muttered.

"Clyde! Please!" I whispered loudly, completely mortified.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Ed jumped up and faced Clyde, his fists clenched, teeth bared, and eyes black from his exaggerated temper. If looks could kill, I'm sure Clyde would have been dead ten times over.

Al held his brother back by his waist. "Easy, Ed." He said gently.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!" Ed screamed. "SERIOUSLY, YOU PEOPLE HAVE GOTTA GET AN IMAGINATION AND STOP CALLING ME SMALL!!"

I felt sorry for the guy. I noticed that the only reason people would call him short is because his ego turns a complete one-eighty in a very comical, and maybe dangerous way. One thing I couldn't understand was that Ed would throw a fit about being called small and he was taller than me. He definitely put an emphasis on how it feels to be made fun of.

* * *


	4. Chapter 3

* * *

"Geez, what is with your cousin?" Edward was still in a bad mood from Clyde's little comment. Well, strike that. It wasn't a little comment to him since he was still steaming over it. After Clyde apologized several times, Ed was unable to forgive his perpetrator to his face.

Fifteen minutes had gone by and Edward and I had one last exam to complete. We stood amongst other alchemists in the courtyard on the west side of the main building, waiting for directions from the superiors. I tried reading their faces in case they exposed any thoughts to what was expected of the last exam.

"I have a word of advice for you," I said, giving up when I came across a large man who caught me staring at him and glared at me. "The best way to live with someone like Clyde is to ignore them. Okay? Their teasing thrives on people who react the same way you do."

"Humph," Edward grunted. "That might work for you, but if that kid keeps it up, he'd better start sleeping with one eye open."

I smiled and shook my head. Karma was never something I took in consideration, but this time I believed that Clyde finally had it coming. I waited for the day when it was going to come back and bite him. Clyde had always acted like a big kid, so he was more of an older brother to me.

"So, do you know what we're supposed to do?" Edward asked, scanning the courtyard.

"To be honest, I was hoping you would." I raised my hand and rubbed the back of my neck.

Edward growled. "No, I'm not off any better than you are." He stuffed his gloved hands into his coat pockets.

I chuckled good-naturedly. "You'd think they'd give us a head's up on what to expect, right? I mean, what kind of organization is this?" I lowered my voice, afraid of being overheard, even though I was being passive. "They should be a little more formal in explaining things."

"Yeah…" Edward gazed at the ground and rocked on his heels.

Silence lingered between us for a while, then I asked him, "Where's Al?"

"Oh, he's with our friend, Nina, waiting in the courtyard." He nodded toward the front of the building.

"Who's Nina?"

"She's the daughter of Shou Tucker, also known as the Sewing Life Alchemist. You heard of him?"

"No."

"Well, Al and I are staying with him at his house while we're in town. He gets his name for working with bio-alchemy."

"That's pretty nice of him to offer his home." I nodded.

"Yeah, it was," He smiled and then looked at me, "You were wondering why Al's not here to take the exam weren't you?"

"Uh, yeah, I was getting there." I folded my hands behind my back.

He shrugged passively. "Well, you know as well as I do that we'll be hated on for joining the military which can be full of officials who abuse their power, right? We won't be very popular. So, I told him that one person on a bed of needles was enough."

I understood why Ed was taking the role of the oldest and looking out for his younger brother. Still, I imagined Al was probably not very happy working this hard to get where he was and not gain anything for it.

"You're just helping him out, right?" I asked.

Ed inhaled a deep breath and gazed at the ground, as if searching for his words. "Yeah, you could say that."

My eyes studied the golden-haired boy standing next to me. I was grateful to have someone my age by my side in this state-alchemist-test-frenzy. At the same time, I couldn't help wondering why Edward chose to be here in the first place if he knew what was coming. The military could be pretty demanding with their soldiers and it could take its toll even on the far-experienced. Once I wanted to become a state alchemist, I knew what I was getting into, as well.

Clyde and Marie also knew, and for a long time they were hesitant about me taking the state alchemist exam. They became my guardians the day I moved in with them, however, being childless for the five years they were married at the time, they didn't know how to take on a more parental role. This didn't mean they let me get away with anything I wanted, not that I tried. Both of them were responsible for me and the line was drawn there. We never got too close, at least not emotionally.

However, over the years, I'd grown an extreme fondness for both of them. I'm sure it wasn't easy for them to take in an eight-year-old who wouldn't respond to them and isolated herself. Before I realized it, they had broken through my walls and I was going to them for everything. They became my actual family instead of distant cousins.

Just then, a voice broke the silence, "Can I have everyone's attention?"

A man with sandy blonde hair was standing at one end of the courtyard, wearing a blue military uniform. Beside him were five other men wearing the same.

"The final state alchemist exam will begin shortly once you are all given the instructions. Behind me, you see the materials you will be using to make anything through alchemy. You will also be judged by performance and delivery."

Looking at what I had to work with, I saw pine trees placed sporadically in one corner of the courtyard. Along with large forms made of crystal beside a well drawn-up pile of sand. It was enough to construct anything through basic alchemy. The only problem was figuring out what to make that would impress the judges.

A man stepped from the crowd and over to the pile. He bent down and drew an alchemic diagram in the ground. Blue sparks appeared and illuminated the area. Dust flew up from the earth and created a miniature tornado around the courtyard. I squeezed my eyes shut and blocked my face with my arms. Once the air cleared, a large, narrow pillar made from the earth towered over everyone. The man, still kneeling, smiled at his creation. Although, he was having trouble catching his breath from the energy he used. His body shook as he struggled to stand up.

"Very nice." The man in the military uniform nearest to me said. "But he lost a lot of strength in the process and that's going to hurt him."

"What?" Edward said next to me. "You can't get tired?"

_Oh, boy. _I thought as a sigh escaped my lips.

"Out of the way, I'm next!" A large, muscled man shoved me to the side as he walked past.

I didn't see him coming up behind me and the moment he pushed me I lost my balance and my footing. My arms flailed behind me, finding nothing to grab onto but air. I expected to land on my back and on the hard, unforgiving concrete. Instead, my head landed against somebody's chest and strong hands were placed at my elbows to steady me. I looked up and saw Edward's golden eyes gazing down at me concerned.

"You alright?" He asked, helping me up to a standing position.

"Yeah." I said, pulling at my shirt. "Thanks for catching me."

"No problem." He smiled.

I smiled back, feeling a warm sensation spread inside my chest. _Even on the coldest day of the year, _I thought_, that boy's smile would always warm me up. Wait, did I just think that? I barely know him!_

I quickly turned my attention to the corner of the courtyard. The large-muscle man had made a massive paper balloon made from hydrogen and the trees. It was now floating a good mile above our heads. The crowd softly murmured as it watched the balloon fly languidly in the sky with no set point in destination.

Suddenly, there was a loud popping sound, and air escaping at an alarming rate. The paper balloon was now speeding through the air and heading towards the tall pillar. With a loud crash, the balloon slammed into it. Dust flew everywhere and debris from the pillar began to fall to the ground. A large piece about the size of a small car was falling toward to the first man. Still crouched on the ground from weakness, he stared at the large rock heading for him in horror.

I didn't have time to think, so I ran toward the man with Edward right behind me. I knelt next to the man and drew a circle diagram into the ground. A blinding beam of light shot out of the ground and up toward the falling rock. In less than a few seconds, the rock was obliterated with a loud zap.

The man smiled gratefully at me, then his eyes drifted behind me, and then widened in fear. I looked up and saw more debris falling towards us. My strength had been zapped out of me the moment I transmuted the light energy. My arms trembled and I felt coldness seep into my skin as weakness over came me. I knew at this moment that I overdid it.

From behind me, I heard someone clapping. I turned around just in time to see Edward slam his hands onto the ground. A blinding light shot up from the ground and hit the falling debris. Once I regained my sight, I saw pink flower petals floating softly in the air and on the ground. I had never seen such a thing in my life. The crowed was also stunned at what took place. Everyone gawked with their jaws dropped and stared at me and then at Edward.

I looked at him finally realizing that he transmuted just by using his hands. Until then, I had only heard about people transmuting without a circle, and this time I was a witness. It was obvious he didn't do it on purpose, because he was staring at his own hands with the same surprised look on his face as everyone else did.

* * *


	5. Chapter 4

A week had gone by when I finally got the results. I had passed. I was relieved once I knew I had achieved my goal, and yet anxious at the same time, knowing that I was no longer considered a kid. My childhood was far behind me.

I was the one of the youngest ever to pass the exam, next to Edward. For a while, I pondered on the reaction of the other alchemists. The more experienced and older state alchemists. How would they view the military now once two twelve-year-olds ace what was supposed to be the most challenging alchemy test in the country?

I tried not to let that bug me as I knocked on the door to Colonel Roy Mustang's office. I opened the door when I heard a voice say come in.

"Hello, Ms. Jensen." A man with ebony-black hair behind a desk greeted me.

"Hi, Colonel Mustang." I smiled and closed the door behind me.

"Please, take a seat." He pointed to a pair of chairs in front of his desk. I sat down as he spoke again. "I wish I had the chance of knowing you before this meeting, I think it would've been more formal. And I would have the privilege of knowing your specialty before the exam."

"My specialty?" I asked.

"Yes. I watched you conduct those bolts of lightning that saved that man from being crushed to death," he said, "That was you, am I right? You were the only girl out there."

I considered this. "Well…I never referred it as my specialty, but I did study more on electricity, so I guess you have a point."

He smiled, and then placed two white boxes on his desk. "I have something for you."

I regarded the boxes and then added dryly. "Do I have to choose a box and if I get the one with the prize, I win?"

"No." He smirked. "The other box is for your partner."

"I have a partner?"

"Yes, and once he walks through that door, you'll know who he is."

I regarded him longer. "Why so secretive about it?"

"There are no secrets." He shook his head. "I don't see a reason in telling you about someone you already know."

Before I could ask what he meant, a knock sounded at the door. I turned my head to look at the dark elm wooden door behind me. The first thing that poked through was a blond head, and then a face displaying a pair of gold eyes that caught the sunlight, making them even more luminous.

"Edward Elric." said Mustang, smiling as he stood up to greet him. "Nice of you to drop by."

"I'm just here on business matters, Colonel." Edward replied bitterly. "I came to get my license and leave. Nothing fancy."

"You might also want to add 'meeting your partner' to that list." Mustang gestured towards me.

Edward looked at me in surprise, as if he just realized I was in the room. I gave him a half-smile and feeble wave, trying to void off any awkward tension.

"We're partners?" Edward asked the Colonel.

"You are." Mustang rested his elbows on his desk and leaned into his folded hands. "The Fuhrer thought it was a good idea since you both did so well as a team during the physical part of the exam. The two of you are assigned to accompany each other on missions we give you, and you will do whatever you can to help the each other out when they are in need. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." Edward and I replied.

"Good." The Colonel then opened the boxes in front of us. Inside were silver pocket watches with the Central headquarters' symbol embedded on the front. "These silver watches are badges that prove you're state alchemists. Guard them with your lives.

"Here are your certificates and some forms, or something," He picked up a pair of stacked papers. "I don't have a lot of time to read them to you, so you both had better verify the contents yourselves."

I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. _Some professional behavior, _I thought. However, I smiled at the man, seeing through his drift. "Now, that's no excuse."

"Yeah, do your job, slacker." Edward scowled.

"Hm…" Mustang's eyes scanned one document and then picked up the other. "Hmph. Ironic name. I didn't think the President was that clever."

"What?" Edward held out his hand to retrieve his paper.

"Oh, nothing." Mustang said, handing my form to me next. "Congratulations, Kale and Edward. You're both official dogs of the military."

Edward looked over the form in his hands. "So, this is the certificate, huh? For such an important sounding license it's printed on pretty flimsy paper."

I read what was on my license. At the top was the symbol for Central Headquarters, with a gold border around the edges of the page. The words were written in bold ink and the top read as the following:

"_**By the power vested in me as Fuhrer President, I, King Bradley, hereby bestow upon Kale Jensen the title of Lightning.**_"…

_Lightning? _I thought. _Weird…and not exactly what I was going for either, but I guess it works for me._

"Fullmetal?" Edward said, reading his new name out loud.

"That's right." The Colonel said, regarding both of us. "When you become a state alchemist, you get a second name. From now on, Kale will be known the Lightning Alchemist, and Edward, the Fullmetal Alchemist!"

Edward and I exchanged glances, when a sly-crocodile smile slid across Edward's face.

"Lightning and Fullmetal, huh? They sound kinda heavy together. What do you think, Kale?"

I nodded in agreement. "They do sort of compliment each other, don't they?" I turned my head towards the Colonel and smiled. "I'm game."

"Me, too." Edward said, casting his papers to the floor.

Colonel Mustang smirked, and said, "I'm glad."

During the year after my father's death, I had trouble sleeping. Then again, I wouldn't let myself fall asleep. It was like a fear or something. I was scared that if I fell asleep, something bad would happen, even if I fell unconscious for one second. In the end, I would only allow myself to doze off. If sleep ever did get the best of me, enough to dream, it was usually about running.

My dad was a runner, and he loved every part of it. He started me at a young age with the local elementary kids track team, and soon he brought me to every 5K he ever ran and signing me up for the kids section. I remember the first time I raced there; I was five-years-old, almost six, and probably the youngest of all the kids. I stood there at the starting line in one of the farther back rows, with nothing at my eye-level but shoulders and necks. There were a couple kids that were my age and relatively the same height as me. Once the starter gun sounded, everyone launched forward with a burst of energy. It took me a little while to get my footing and breathing in the right rhythm, and once I had the timing my feet barley touched the ground. The faces of the people on the sidelines became blurs: all I focused on was the braid of the girl in front me, tied back tight and it swayed back and forth like a whip in the rhythm of her stride. By then, I had a cramp in my side, when I heard my dad.

"Good girl, Kale! Keep going, you're doing great!"

A few months passed, and soon I was very fast, faster than the kids I ran with. I knew once I had passed the big kids in the first length, then when I won my first race, and then every race. It became an emotional and spiritual high for me, to feel the wind whistle in my ears, to feel my heart pounding as it rapidly pumped the blood in my body, and my lungs breathing in oxygen to help me to keep moving on.

However, from the morning my dad was killed, running changed for me. I didn't care how good my times were, or the records just days before I'd planned to break. There was a time I could no longer beat, so I decided to quit.

After that, I tried to avoid the all-too familiar routes we did, as well as my friends who ran with me at the meets. They were loyal to me to the end, at the funeral and afterwards, and even though they were disappointed when they heard I quit, they were hurt even more when I avoided them at school. Other than my mother and I, there was no one else I could count on who wouldn't bring up my dad, feel sorry for me, or make The Face. With that, I cut off anyone who knew me or tried to stand by my side. It was all I knew to do.

If I ever ran again, it was in my dreams. In them, there was always something bad about to happen, and my legs felt like noodles, like they weren't strong enough to hold me. The ending, however, remained the same. I could never cross the finish line, no matter how hard I pushed myself. It was always blurry, and far away even though I knew if I stretched my hand out I could reach it.


	6. Chapter 5

Marie called me once ("Kale, could you come down here please?") and then twice ("Kale? Sweetie?"), but I was still in front of my mirror, and now frowning out of confusion at my new name. Marie had never called me Sweetie, or anything else that was too mushy for no reason. Something was up.

I continued to swipe my hair with a comb, parting and reparting it, but no matter how many times I tried it still looked wrong. There had been a time when I didn't care about my appearance so much. Basically, I knew that I was pretty short for my age, with a squareish shaped face, brown eyes, and very distinct freckles across my nose. My brown hair developed blonde highlights in the summer from being outside a lot, which sometimes gave off a greenish tint if I swam too often, although that never bothered me since I was a complete track rat, the type of girl to whom the word "hairstyle" meant having an elastic hair band around her wrist. What mattered to me the most was what my body could do and how fast it could go.

"Kale?" Marie's voice was getting firm but still cheery. I ran the comb through my hair once more, and then looked at my reflection. Finally: just right. And just in time before my cousin lost her patience.

When I came down the stairs, I noticed we had company. A man was standing in the entryway talking to Clyde, and by the way they shared their conversation, it was like they were long lost brothers.

"You should see her, Clyde," The man was saying as he beamed, holding a picture up to Clyde's face. "She is a vision of heaven, and she looks just like her mother! I could never have asked for a more beautiful daughter than her!"

"Wow, I'm really happy for you, Maes," Clyde smiled and patted the man-Maes?-on his shoulder. "I always pictured you as the fatherly type. You and Gracia are truly blessed."

Marie met me at the stairs. "There you are. What took you so long?"

"Hair issues," I told her, as Maes pulled out another picture and held it about two inches from Clyde's eye level. "And you didn't exactly tell me we had company."

"This is Major Maes Hughes from Central Headquarters. He's also Clyde's childhood friend."

"Ah, yes, Lightning. It's good to officially meet you." Maes now turned his attention to me and shook my hand. "I'm here to take you to Central so we can talk about some things with your partner. I assume you've met him already."

I nodded.

"Oh, by the way," he said, pulling his pictures from his pocket, "You missed these, didn't you?" He shoved one so close to my face I was afraid of ending up cross-eyed. "This is my daughter, Elicia. She's-about-three-months-old-isn't-she-the-most-beautiful-baby-girl-you-ever-laid-eyes-on?" He finished the last sentence in one, quick breath as he gushed.

"She's…cute." I said, forcing a smile.

"Maes, you're giving her a very awkward first impression." Marie crossed her arms as she smirked in slight amusement.

"No, I'm not." Maes said in a baby voice as he caressed his cheek with the photograph. Glancing behind him, I gave Clyde and Marie a look that said, "Is this guy for real?"

Clyde ducked his head to hide his laughing grin at his childhood friend, while Marie and I stood there with bemused and perplexed expressions on our faces. This man was one step away from having little hearts floating around him and a beam of light shining down onto his head, along with an invisible choir singing a soft and happy chord.

I cleared my throat, hoping to bring him back to reality. "Sir?" I asked, "Weren't you going to take me to Central for a discussion?"

"Yes," said Major Hughes, snapping to attention. "Once we arrive, we can get down to business."

Now, I've traveled to Central quite a few times before since living with my cousin. It was about a two-hour drive by car from our house, and we would always go there for the special town events and festivals. Also, Clyde had a job in Central as a part-time storekeeper, so it was convenient for us to have our own car, which a lot of other families didn't.

This trip, however, seemed to last longer than it did. For the first half hour, Major Hughes talked about nothing except about his adorable, precious little Elicia. He talked about how much she grew in the past few months, how much she looked like her mother already, how her cute little nose wrinkles when she sneezes, and other things possible to talk about. Even though it was a one-sided conversation, I still tried to make listening noises: "um-hmm", "yeah", and "oh." as I stared out the window watching the countryside fly by.

I wondered if my dad ever bragged about me like that when I was a baby. Between running with him and track practice, we were pretty much inseparable. We used to own a cabin on the lake where we lived, and we would go there on weekends and during the summer, most of our time was spent there. Remembering it and all those weekends and summers put an empty feeling inside me. I haven't been there since dad died. Mom never made any effort to go back there just to stay, or even sell it, which was what I thought would happen. I pictured the cabin sitting there on the lake unoccupied as the air inside grew colder, the wooden porch rotting and slowly warping from moisture, and the weeds choking the crevices of the cabin until it was nothing more than a massive block of wood in the background.

I suddenly felt nauseous, so I leaned my forehead against the cool window, not noticing how quiet the trip had gotten.

Major Hughes was watching me in the rear mirror. "Is Clyde your cousin, Kale?" He asked in a soft voice.

"No." My voice was low. "Marie is. They're my guardians."

Hughes nodded. "I see. That was pretty nice of them to take you in like that."

My eyes slid over to meet his face in the mirror. "What do you mean by 'like that'?"

"I remember when they were first granted custody of you." He said, adjusting his glasses. "Clyde told me that he wished he had you out of that house as soon as your father died."

"He did?" I blinked. I never met Clyde before I went to live with him and Marie. Hearing what he had said was news to me.

"Apparently news about your mother traveled around in your family fast." His voice sounded strained, as if his throat had tightened at the words.

_No shock there, _I thought. At the mention of _her, _my nausea slipped my stomach into a clenching, burning anger. My eyes narrowed until they were slits, and my head lowered until my bangs hid my face. I turned closer towards the window as I tried to hide my emotions. Although, Hughes seemed to sense my anger.

"I'm sorry if I brought up a sore subject."

I rubbed my face with my hand. "I'm fine." Of all the fond memories I had of my childhood, my mother was not one of them. Ever since that year, I cursed myself for being oblivious to my parents' actions towards each other, and the signs. Not that they did anything too extreme when I was around. Still, I was a very naïve little kid.

Once we arrived in Central, Hughes turned down a street in a neighborhood that seemed to carry lifestyles of the rich and famous. Not only were the houses massive, they were practically mansions, and almost every one of them looked exactly alike.

"Who lives here?" I asked.

"Shou Tucker. The Sewing-Life Alchemist," He told me. "Also, Ed and Al are staying there while they're in Central."

"Oh." I looked out the window, watching house after house fly by.

Then we pulled up to one that had a large gate that led to the front yard. Surrounding the house was a wall made of cinder blocks that scaled probably eight feet tall. Whoever this Sewing-Life Alchemist was he sure was a private person, or whatever he did he wanted to keep private.

"Well, come on, let's go, Kale." Hughes called to me, since I was still standing by the car, staring at the house. "This way you can also see what kind of person Shou Tucker is."

Hughes walked through the gate while I followed. "Hey there, Mr. Tucker. How are you doing?"

A man was sitting on the porch looking off to the side. He looked up as soon as he heard his name. "Why, Major Hughes. Welcome." He stood up and walked over to us.

As they shook hands, I looked around the yard where I noticed Al to the right of me. On his shoulders was a small girl with long brown hair tied in two braids. They were watching Ed chase a big, all-white dog around. Something long and very shiny was dangling from the dog's mouth.

"This is Kale Jensen, the Lightning Alchemist." Hughes was now saying, turning my attention back to the men.

"Ah, yes," said Mr. Tucker, smiling down at me. "You must very talented, young lady, to pass that test at your age."

I shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "I was a nervous wreck then, but I still wanted to do the best I could."

"A lot of people did their best and didn't pass as well as you did." Hughes said, smiling and patting my shoulder.

I felt my face flush.

"Alexander!!" A shrill voice pierced the air. "Stop toying with me! Gimme my watch back!"

"Brother, standing there and screaming at him won't solve anything." Al said as he shook his head.

_Does he ever take that armor off? _I wondered, as I was walking up to them. I figured by now I should let them know I arrived.

"Hey, Al." I said, once I approached him and stood in his shadow. "What's going on?"

"Oh, hi there, Kale." Al said as he looked down at me. "Ed's trying to get his watch back from Alexander. It was snatched from his hand when he was showing it to us."

"Are you here to play, too?" The small girl on Al's shoulders asked.

I shielded my eyes with my hand to look up, since the sun was almost directly behind her. "Not today. I came by to make sure that Ed still has his head screwed on right."

Hearing this, Ed turned spun around to face us. "Ha ha, very funny." He said sarcastically.

I crossed my arms. "Ed, the first rule Colonel Mustang gave us was to guard those watches with our lives, not give them off to dogs as chew toys." I teased.

" I did _not_ give it to him as a chew toy!" He glared at me. "He snatched it from my hand! I heard Al telling you that!"

"Relax, Ed, I'm only teasing." I said, smiling.

Ed snorted while behind him, Alexander walked up with the silver chain still hanging from his mouth. He laid down on the grass and rested his head on his front paws. Ed reached down and dragged the chain, followed by the watch, now dripping in slobber, from the dog's mouth.

"Thank you." He said, wiping his watch off with his red trench coat.

"Hey, you two," Hughes called out to us. "What do you say we get going?"

"Alright, let's move out." Ed said, walking past me and stuffing his watch in his pants pocket.

I started to follow him when I the girl called down to me. "You're gonna come back and play soon?"

"Maybe." I said, turning to look up at her. "I'll definitely play with you once I get the chance, I promise."

She smiled, and for an instant, I felt my heart melt at her young and childish face. "Okay, bye!" She waved her small, gloved hand.

I waved back and then said good-bye to Al, then headed back to the car. I was almost there when I heard the girl say softly to Al, but still loud enough for everyone to hear:

"Little big-brother's right, she _is_ a pretty girl."


	7. Chapter 6

The ride to Major Hughes' house was quiet, but at the same time, it felt noisy. Edward scowled out the window and flushed a deep red color, almost the same as his jacket. Hughes up front was smirking away at the whole ordeal, while I was in the back, leaning against the back of the seat with my hands in my lap. If I approved of any cliché's, I would have said a person could have cut the tension with a knife.

An outburst was on the verge of breaking through any minute, so I decided to make the best of it.

"If it makes you feel any better," I said, watching Edward out the corner of my eye. "I'm glad you don't think I'm ugly."

Hughes chuckled from up front. "Don't take it so hard, Ed." He said, taking a left at an intersection. "Girls like hearing people say they're pretty."

"Well, don't read too much into it," Edward grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Last night, Al brought up the subject of me having you as a partner. He was the one saying how nice you are and everything. Nina asked if you were pretty, and they both looked at me for an answer. They practically grilled it out of me until I admitted it."

I had to bite my cheeks to keep from smiling, but he still saw through my effort and glared at me.

"It's not funny." He emphasized slowly.

I let the smile loose and gave him an assuring look. "Ed, I'm not insulted."

He turned his head to the window and muttered something I couldn't hear.

Finally, we pulled up to Hughes' house, where the first thing he did when the three of us walked in, was rush to a small infant who was playing with a doll on a rug in the middle of the living room. He picked her up and cuddled her in his arms.

"Hello my little darling," He cooed. "Daddy's home. Did you miss me?" His response was incoherent baby babble.

"Hey Major Hughes," Edward growled. "You mind telling us why you brought us here in the first place?"

I gave him a warning look, telling him to watch his act.

Hughes directed his hand to a couch near him. "Have a seat, you two."

Ed and I sat down on the couch while Hughes sat on another across from us. He set his daughter on his lap.

"Look Elicia," He smiled and pointed to Edward. "Uncle Edward's come by to visit. And he's brought a nice friend with him." He picked up her chubby arm and waved it. "This is Kale. Wave hello to Kale!"

"Alright, Maes, I think the kids have been embarrassed long enough." A woman with short, light brown hair and green eyes walked through the room. She went over to Hughes taking Elicia from his hands. She smiled down at him, then turned and smiled at Ed and me. I returned one, and then realized it might have come off as a grateful smile, as if I were saying, "Thank you for rescuing us!"

"You must be Kale." She said. "I've heard a lot about you. When two twelve-year-olds pass a state test with such ease, it's all people on the street can talk about."

"Really..." I forced another smile, feeling slightly dumb not knowing what else to say.

"I'm Gracia." She continued, as Elicia started giggling and playing with her mother's mouth while she talked. "Could I get anyone drinks?"

"I'll have some iced tea, please." Hughes said.

"I'll have the same." Edward said. He picked up a binder on the coffee table with military information written in it and started thumbing through.

"Just water for me, please." I told Gracia, who nodded, and then walked through the door of the kitchen carrying Elicia with her.

I glanced at the binder that Edward was looking at. It mostly contained newspaper articles. A few caught my eye of nine women who were supposedly murdered. I shifted my eyes over the newsprint saying how they were brutally sliced open with a large sharp object, most likely a massive butcher's knife. I shuddered, wondering who would have a mind that was sick enough to do this.

Suddenly, Hughes spoke, breaking my thoughts. "The reason I brought you two here today was to warn you about a serial killer that's been running around, and some people have already fallen to him." His voice was grim.

"Is that what happened to these women?" I asked, pointing at the newspaper columns.

Hughes glanced at the binder in Edward's hands. "The police think he might have something to do with them, but no one's completely sure. The killer's main focus has been state alchemists, and there have been seven deaths so far."

Edward and I looked up at him with wide eyes.

"The difference between them and those women is how they were killed. Each of the alchemists' skulls had been shattered to pieces, as if their brains exploded. And the women were basically chopped to pieces."

"Do you think there might be two murderers?" I asked. "And they're working together?"

"It does seem over-extreme for one guy to have two styles of killing people." Edward considered this, still flipping the pages as he covered his mouth with his hand.

"The military considered that." Hughes nodded. "However, there isn't enough evidence at the crime scene to tell for sure. Besides, the murders have been happening one after another without giving them time to fully dissect the issue."

The three of us had gotten quiet, when Gracia walked in with our drinks. Just then, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere.

"Okay," She said, cheerfully, handing the drinks to each of us. "Two iced teas and water."

"Thanks, Mrs. Hughes." I said softly.

"Oh, call me Gracia." She smiled. "How's Alphonse doing, Edward? Are you enjoying your stay at Mr. Tucker's?"

Edward looked up at her through his glass, and then set it on the coffee table, which was already half empty. "Yeah, uh, we both like it there, even though we don't see too much of him. He's been very busy with his assessment coming up. So, we try to keep Nina company. I like his huge library the best!"

She nodded. "That's good. Well, I'll let the three of you get back to your conversation. I'm going to put Elicia down for a nap."

"Oh," Hughes groaned in disappointment. "Without me? I've always been the one to sing her to sleep."

I raised my eyebrows at that while taking a sip of water.

"Don't worry, Maes, there will be plenty of opportunities for that." Gracia was standing at the foot of the stairs with a sleepy Elicia in her arms. "You can sing her to sleep tonight."

Hughes' shoulders slumped a little as he sighed. "Alright, fine." He held up his hand and waved. "Sleep tight, angel face."

Once Gracia was upstairs, Edward brought up another subject. "Speaking of Mr. Tucker…"

"Nobody was speaking of Mr. Tucker, Edward." I teased, as I lifted the glass to take another drink.

"We _were._" He leaned over to glare at me, his faces inches from mine. Which made me look into his eyes to see how perfectly golden they were. I felt something deep inside of me jump.

"Anyway," He sat back upright and gritted his teeth. "I was wondering, Major Hughes, how much do you know of his past?"

Hughes was leaning over with his elbows on his knees. "What do you need to know?"

"He made a chimera about two years ago, and it died shortly after he created it." Edward said, setting his empty glass on the table. "Also, I heard about his wife leaving him around the same time."

I studied Edward as I absorbed the information. _He must make chimeras as a living, _I thought. _That explains why his name is Sewing-Life._

Hughes nodded. "It's true, he used that chimera to pass the state alchemist exam. However, I don't know about the issue with his wife. What exactly are you trying to get at here?"

Edward paused, as he drummed his chin with his fingers. "I guess I'm still trying to figure that out, but I think have a way of knowing fur sure."

After this, I felt like I was still left in the dark. "What's going on, Ed?"

Before he could say anything, the telephone rang. Hughes walked over to answer it. "Hello, Hughes residence. What?! Another murder?"

Ed and I looked up at him in alarm.

"Yes, of course," Hughes said quickly before he hung up. "I'll be right there."

"This makes number ten." Colonel Mustang sighed, standing next to me.

Hughes drove Ed and I to a deeper part of Central where the crime scene was. Police officers and members of the military were scattered around the streets, trying to keep the city people from getting too close. The three of us were standing and facing a long and very dark alleyway, along with Colonel Mustang and a couple of his subordinates, whom I hadn't met yet. From what I could see, there was a thick blue sheet over a distorted shape lying on the ground. A thick, red liquid had stained parts of the sheet and pooled from below onto the concrete. I could only guess what was underneath.

"What's the story on this one?" Mustang asked an officer standing nearby.

"The same as all the others." He replied monotonously, while he flipped open a lighter and held the flame to a cigarette hanging from his mouth. "We got the call about half an hour ago. A man found her like that when the boy came running up to him asking if he'd seen his mother. The blood was still freshly spilling from her when he found the body."

I felt a cold chill run down my spine. _If only he'd been a couple minutes earlier, _I thought.

A small boy, probably about five or six-years-old, was kneeling next to it, clutching the sheet with all his might. Tears streamed from his eyes and down his cheeks as he sobbed, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

"He can't stay. Get him out of here." Mustang ordered, his frown deepening.

A woman officer with long blonde hair tied back tightly in a bun tried to gently coax the little boy away from his dead mother. When he wouldn't let go of the sheet, she tried picking him up. However, he still had the sheet grasped tightly in both fists as he screamed at the top of his lungs, taking the sheet with him and exposing the body.

What I saw came back to me even as I blinked. The woman's body had been mutilated, slashed and gorged until it no longer looked human. Dried, caked blood covered most of her, and her face was also sliced open so that her features could no longer be identified.

I felt the ground sink below me, and my chest was acting like it was collapsing. A cold sweat broke onto my forehead, my breathing becoming gulps of air, thus making me lightheaded. I covered my face with my hand and leaned against the hard, brick wall beside me as I tried to regain myself. Then I heard them again.

_**Kale, help me! Don't let me die, please! How could you betray us like this? Don't leave us here! Please, save me! Help me! Why are you leaving us? Don't let me die here! Save us!! How could you doing this? Why? Why?! WHY??**_

I yelled, no, screamed out loud. And I probably said something incoherent. The voices had stopped and the next thing I knew, Hughes was standing next to me with a concerned look and his hand on my shoulder.

"Kale? Kale! Can you hear me?" He was asking, shaking my shoulder.

"Whaa?" I lifted my hand to my head, suddenly feeling very sleepy.

"Oh, thank goodness, I thought we lost you, too." He said. Behind him, I noticed Edward lying on the ground. His eyes were closed and his face was pale. One officer lifted him onto his back.

"Is he alright?" I looked back at Hughes.

He nodded. "He will be. He just passed out from all the commotion, I think."

I sighed as my heart pounded against my sternum, my hand on my chest.

"Why don't you go back with him to Mr. Tuckers'? Just to make sure he'll be okay. The police will take over things from here." Hughes said, leading me back to the car.

"Okay," I said, breathlessly. I climbed into the back seat and sat down. The man carrying Edward brought him over, positioning him on the seat next to me. Once he was situated, Edward fell over on his side, resting his head on my shoulder. My muscles stiffened feeling him against me.

I studied his face, noting how vulnerable, and yet so cute and peaceful he looked as he slept. I gently brushed his bangs back from his face. He then shifted his head so his face was now buried on my shoulder; his one piece of hair that stuck straight up tickled my nose. I brushed it away with my hand, and then turned my head towards the window.

It had been years since I last heard the voices. I thought they had stopped haunting me for good. I told myself to be more careful in the future, because I didn't want to fall completely apart and lose control of everything again. I felt goose bumps run up my arm, thinking how the voices still sounded so clear as the day I first heard their owners as I watched them suffer.


	8. Chapter 7

I scratched the back of my neck while I stared at the closed wooden door. It had been two hours since Edward and I left the crime scene, and he still had not woken up. After talking with Al over what happened, drawing a couple pictures with Nina, and keeping the dog away from my pocket watch, I finally walked upstairs to check on my partner. I was getting worried.

Just before I knocked on the door to his room, it opened. Mr. Tucker was there, looking surprised to see me standing right in front of him.

"Oh, Kale. I didn't know you were still here." He said, adjusting his glasses.

"How's he doing?" I asked.

"He's sleeping right now," He glanced back into the room, then walked through the doorway, closing the door a little behind him. "He'll wake up very soon. Did you want to see him?"

"Um, sure." I shrugged.

He stepped aside to let me in, and I entered the room. As I closed the door, I shifted my eyes to the right, I saw Edward lying on the bed near a window. Walking up to him, I noticed his hair was down from his normal braided hairstyle. His hair shone in the light of the room and spread across the edges of his pillow. Boy, was it long. His lips twitched slightly as he mumbled something very undistinguished and quiet in his sleep. What was it? It sounded like Mother. His face was pinched in a pained expression, as if he were having an agonizing dream. By this time I was standing next to his bed watching him. Something was glaring into my eyes by what small light there was in the room.

At first I thought he had something in his bed next him, so I leaned over and pulled the sheet to cover it up, as I did so, my hand brushed against his shoulder. I was shocked when I felt cold, hard metal instead of the warmth of flesh. _What in the world…?_, I thought. Very carefully, I pulled the sheet back from his shoulder. Once I had it pulled back all the way, I stared, terrified, at his arm. It was completely made of metal. He had a scar that stretched to the middle of chest, making me believe that it wasn't shielded by metal. His arm was gone, and in its place was this metal arm. I realized I was staring with my mouth open when I felt my throat was dry. I swallowed and quickly laid the sheet back down.

Sitting down on a chair near the bed, I wondered about the boy and the suit of armor for his brother. It accrued to me that I really didn't know these two at all. Then again, they didn't truly know me either. If I was going to ask Edward what happened to him, I needed to tell him about myself, too. Eventually. I looked out the window beside the bed. Large, dark clouds were forming in the sky, casting a gloomy atmosphere on the town below them. I breathed a loud sigh through my nose. I didn't want to tell Ed and Al. I wasn't ready. I barely talked about what happened that year with Clyde and Marie, although they still knew about it, but I never told them the horrific details.

I heard a noise beside me and looked up. Edward was stirring in his sleep and muttering. His forehead wrinkled from the frown he made and glistened with sweat that started to drip down the side of his face. Behind me there was a hand towel draped over the back of the chair. I reached for it, using it to gently wipe off his forehead and face. As I did, he muttered something else: "I'm sorry."

I sat back down on the chair, draping the towel along the backside. I thought about going back downstairs and asking Al about their past when Ed suddenly woke up with a startled gasp. His eyes wide in terror.

"Ed? You alright?" I asked, feeling very cautious.

He turned his head toward me. He calmed down quite a bit, but the fear was still in his eyes. "Kale? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I came to see if you were okay." I replied, "You've been out for two hours."

"I was?" He raised an eyebrow a little.

"You were also muttering in your sleep. Something about your mother and that you were sorry."

He turned his head to look at the ceiling. He made no comment on that. I figured he wanted to avoid the subject, but I kept going.

"I saw your arm, Ed" I said, softly. He turned his head toward me again. A new, guarded expression appeared on his face. I waited for him to say something, but he just watched me, so I continued. "I didn't really mean to. It was an accident." In my mind, the words sounded false.

Both of us were silent for a while, then I finally made the move. "Ed, what happened to you and Al? I know there's a reason he's just a suit of armor." I paused, wanting to carefully phrase my next sentence. "His soul was transferred to the armor, wasn't it?"

Ed sighed. "Kale," he started, then he sat up, pushed the covers off of him and swung his legs over the side of the bed. His right leg made of flesh and bone, and his left of cold, hard metal. I swallowed hard, trying to remain calm. Ed leaned his elbows on his knees while he continued, "You're the only one besides Colonel Mustang who knows about us. Actually, I'm quite surprised you figured us out on your own like that." He smirked at the last sentence, and then continued, "The main thing is my brother and I made a mistake, and we're paying for it." With his head bent down, he raised his eyes, burning with golden intensity into mine through his bangs. I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"Life isn't a game, Kale. You should never play with it. If one forgets the consequences of equivalent exchange, they will pay upon their own carelessness."

I knew wasn't trying to scare me. He was just making a point. However, the way he said it with such raw emotion in his voice, it made me feel guilty. Ed lifted his head a little and glanced at the floor. "I'd tell you the whole story, but I think Al should be here for this, since he's also involved."

Just then, we heard Al's voice, sounding a little panicked, float up the stairs. "Who are you? What do you want?"

We were both on our feet instantly, heading for the stairs with Ed in front of me. He managed to pull on a pair of pants, a black tank top, and braid his hair in 30 seconds flat. Once we arrived downstairs, there was a large man dressed in a blue military uniform. I recognized him as the Brigadier General I heard other soldiers talk about on H.Q. On either sides of him were two soldiers holding shotguns over their shoulders. My eyebrows came together in a slight frown. _What's with the armed forces?_ I thought.

Al was standing in the doorway of the living room, holding Nina protectively in his arms. Mr. Tucker was at the foot of the stairs. He glanced up at Ed and I as we came down.

"Fullmetal Alchemist, you are no longer permitted to stay at the Tucker estate." The Brigadier General said. "The way you've been pushing your nose into other people's private affairs is not acceptable. I'm ordering you to pack your bags and leave."

Ed made no protests. He walked back up the stairs to his room to gather his things. I stared at the Brigadier General in disbelief, wondering if he was doing this for the righteousness of Mr. Tucker, or if he was just following his own set of rules. He stared back at me with his dark, cold eyes piercing right through me.

"Lightning, you wouldn't be assisting your partner in his research would you?" He growled as his frown deepened, which I didn't think was possible. I thought the crease of his eyebrows would reach the middle of his nose.

"She had no part in it!" Ed shouted at the top of the stairs. "Leave her out of this!"

I cringed at the way he addressed the higher-ranked officer. Al groaned quietly next to me at his brother. The Brigadier General slid his gaze up the stairs, narrowing his eyes. His demeanor was very powerful, but he stayed quiet after Ed's input. Although, whether or not it was a good sign for Ed, I wasn't sure.

Once everyone was outside, Ed and Al bid their good-byes to Mr. Tucker and Nina. She seemed to be having the worst time understanding the whole situation. She stared up at the two boys, who were like the older brothers she never had, with big blue, sad and pitiful eyes.

"You will come back and visit, right?" She asked, grasping her father's hand next to her.

Al got down on one knee to look her straight in the eye. "Of course we will," He said, reassuringly. 'Won't we, Brother?" He looked over at Ed, who sighed and made a small smile.

"Yeah," He said. "We will."

And with that, Al stood up and both brothers turned and headed to the street. I watched them leave before I took off running after them, still in shock over how they were thrown out.

"Wait, guys," I yelled when I was a few feet away from them. "Where will you go?"

Ed shrugged as he lifted his suitcase over his shoulder. "Dunno. We'll probably find a hotel, or a place…and sleep somewhere…"

"We'll be fine, Kale. Don't worry." Al said. I could tell by the tone of his voice he was smiling, even though he couldn't show any expression.

I still was not convinced. I sighed heavily and began digging around in my pockets. "You guys can't stay on the street. You deserve better than that." I turned to the side, counting the money I had to myself. "Let me get you a hotel. That way, you'd both have a bed and food for tonight."

"Look, Al and I will be fine, okay?" Ed set his suitcase on the ground and crossed his arms. "Don't worry about us."

I looked up at him, giving him the same look he gave me in the room, although perhaps a lot softer. "I want to do this, Edward. Please."

He was revving up for an argument, but then, suddenly, he gave in. Lowering his head, he said softly, "Fine. Whatever."

Feeling relieved, I lightly, and gratefully smiled, and lead the way to a hotel that Clyde, Marie and I sometimes stayed at during our vacations. It was a fairly decent place. It was not anything too big and fancy. There was not a diamond chandelier hanging in the front of the lobby, but it was nothing like a flea-bag motel either. I paid for their room and gave the key to Ed. He kept his eyes averted while taking it from my hands, and then headed for the hallway where the room was.

"Thanks for doing this for us, Kale." Al said, standing next to me. "My brother is grateful too, even though he doesn't show it. Still, we'll pay you back for the money."

"You don't have to." I said, looking up at him and grinning. "It was nothing at all." I only offered help because of how they were just thrown out onto the streets without any hope. And they had acted as if they didn't have a plan, either. Although, if they had gotten a hotel, Ed would have paid for it himself. He knows how to properly take care of his little brother.

I began feeling somewhat lame after realizing this, when I heard Ed call for me.

"Kale," He shouted, nodding his head towards the room. "In here. There's still some things I need to tell you."

I followed him into the room with Al right behind me. I sat on one of the beds when Ed started. "She knows about us, Al." He leaned against a desk, folding his arms and smirking a little. "I'm quite impressed actually, that she figured us out on her own."

My face flushed a little, and the skin on my neck grew hotter. Whether from embarrassment or bashfulness, I didn't know.

"Is this true, Kale?" Al asked me.

"I saw Ed's arm." I told him. "I've also had a small hunch about your state for a while now. I've read a lot about soul attachments and human transmutations, and once I saw his arm, I put two and two together."

"You've found out the how and what. Now, we're going to tell you why." Ed situated himself on the desk, and then told me the story about him, Al, and their past.

Their father left them when they were very young. Al was just a baby, so he did not remember the event at all. It was just them and their mother. Soon, they learned alchemy on their own from the books in their father's study, and their mother praised them for their new talent. She said that they reminded her of her husband.

A few years went by when their mother passed away from a terminal illness. Ed and Al were so desperate for her that they went to extensive depths to learn alchemy on a much more deeper level. They were going to bring her back to life. It didn't matter to them what anybody said about human transmutation being the ultimate sin. They were two little boys who wanted to see their mom's face again.

One night, they gathered all the components to make an average adult human body. Ed's equations were perfect, so they thought nothing would go wrong. However, something did. With the consequences of equivalent exchange, Al lost his whole body and Ed lost his leg. In a desperate attempt to save his brother, Ed attached Al's soul to a suit of armor that was available nearby. For that cost, Ed lost his arm.

Since that night, both boys have traveled far and wide searching for answers on how to get themselves back to normal, and correct what they had done wrong. Ed joined the military so their funds on research and traveling could be covered. They told me the real reason why Al stayed clear of the state alchemists exam. He would have been discovered during the physical part and therefore would have been found out.

As I heard the two brothers tell their story, my perception of them completely changed. I felt remorse for them and became empathetic towards their struggles. It was very hard for me to swallow all the information they had given.

It was late at night when they finished telling their story, so I decided to stay at the hotel as well. I called home, letting Marie know that I would be back the next morning. I told her my situation, and though she still sounded kind of reluctant over the phone, she let me stay. With the promise of returning as soon as possible the next day. I assured her that I would be.

As I got ready for bed in my own room, I was reminded of the night my life changed while I undressed. The markings, or tattoos as I called them, on my back still made me shutter. I knew that the only way to be completely on the side of the Elric brothers, I would have to tell them my deepest and darkest secrets too.

_You have to tell them, Kale._ I told myself. _If not, they just might discover you as you discovered them._

_I don't want to. I can't. They can't know what I've done, what horrible plans I was involved in. Even though I know it wasn't my fault. Letting someone die is the same thing as killing them._

* * *

**I'm sure most of you who saw all of FMA pretty much know Ed and Al's story by heart. The reason why I left the last part in was for Kale's benefit, since this is her vision of the story. Hope I didn't bore some of you. haha. Anyway, my updates maybe coming a little slower since college has started for me, once again. So, I'll be busy with my studies, but I'll still update as much as I can, don't worry. :) Anything for my faithful readers. :D  
**


	9. Chapter 8

My eyes shot open from the dream I was having. I found myself laying on my back with the covers wrapped tightly around me. As I untangled myself, I tried to relax my shallow breathing. I pushed the blankets to the foot of the bed and stared into the darkness of my hotel room, looking for my pillow. Finding it on the floor next to the bed, I picked it up and held it in my arms while sitting on my knees, still trying to calm my body from the dream.

In it, I was running along the shoreline of a beach, with the waves stretching out, lapping at my feet.. The sun was setting, and the sky was full of different shades of orange, pink, yellow, and the occasional red. This time, there was a reddish tint in the sky. I was not running from anything, nor was I chasing anything. I was running, and subconsciously searching for something. Almost waiting. Then, I saw it.

The impassable brick wall appeared just as it always did, barely giving me enough time to register in my mind, and place my arms out to stop. However, my palms took the brunt of cushioning my sudden stop. The impact was so strong that I bounced off the wall and landed on my backside. Looking down, I traced my fingers over the purples and blues that mixed together on my hands, almost like the colors were poured from a melting pot. Soon, I felt the pain.

Frantically, I placed my palms together, and the pain subsided until it was no more. It was real. My pain was real. Although, the overwhelming feeling of not healing grew worse. This led to my shallow breathing and my heart rate quickening. I knew by this point I was having the dream again. The same one I had been having for years. This made my eyes snap open.

Now, I was sitting on my bed when I heard a noise outside my door. It was very quiet and muffled, but I could hear a voice that sounded a lot like Ed's. Then I heard Al in his armor walking out of the room next to mine. The sound of his hollow, banging footsteps turning down the hallway soon growing fainter.

Scowling and groaning, I got off of my bed, went to my door, and opened it where I saw the two brothers walking quietly down the hall.

"Hey," I whispered loudly.

Ed froze in mid-step, and Al spun around to face me.

"Oh, sorry, Kale," Al stood up straighter upon noticing me, "Did we wake you?"

"No," I replied, fighting the urge to yawn. "I've been up for a bit. What are you guys doing at this hour?"

The boys looked at each other, then Ed placed his hands on his hips. "I've been having suspicions of Tucker for a while. You've heard about his wife leaving him, right?" He asked me.

I nodded my head a little. "From you, yes," The fatigue was catching up to me. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

Ed cast his eyes to the floor before answering. "He seemed very desperate to get that title of his, and with his next assessment coming soon, I wonder if he's desperate enough to try it again."

I woke up a little after that one. "Try what again?" I asked hesitantly.

Ed looked at me and sighed, "That's what I'm afraid of."

The three of us were silent for a while, and then I turned back to my room, saying over my shoulder, "I'm going with you."

I grabbed my jacket that was hanging over the back of my chair by the desk, then locked my room, and headed out where the brothers were waiting for me. I surprised neither of them argued in any way, however, I was a part of their clan now. If they had a lead on anything, I had every right to know as well. I liked that they included me in their own nonverbal way.

The walk from the hotel to Tucker's was long, dark, and cold. Soon, I was shivering so much my bones hurt. Al saw me shaking and asked if I was okay.

"S-s-sure. I'm fine, Al." I smiled up at him, lying through my chattering teeth.

"We'll be there soon, Kale." Ed said as he walked next to me.

After a few agonizing minutes of walking in the chilly air, we arrived at Tucker's mansion. From a few houses down, we could see two military officers guarding the large gate in the front. We stopped walking, then almost instantly, Ed knelt down, clapped his hands and slapped them on the pavement, causing it to morph and warp towards the guards.

They didn't see the sidewalk deforming underneath them until they flipped over, throwing out shouts of alarm just before they each landed on their heads, knocking themselves out cold. I cringed a little watching the whole scene.

The brothers charged to the front gate with me right behind them. Al got on one knee and held out his hands. Ed ran towards him at full speed, stepping into Al's open hands, and then launched himself into the air. At that same moment, Al thrust his arms up, sending Ed flying through the air. I watched their technique with wide eyes.

Ed landed on the other side of the gate, clapped his hands once more, and placed them on the lock of the gate. Soon, it fell to the ground, shattered to pieces. Ed opened the gate for Al and I to walk through. _I hope I get to learn how to jump over walls like that soon_, I thought to myself as we quietly walked up to an open window nearby.

Once we were inside, we followed a long unlit hallway that lead to the back of the house. There was a doorway close to the end of it. A dim glow leaked from the opening and onto the opposing wall. I walked behind Ed as the three of us descended down the stairs. Before arriving at the bottom, screams of distorted voices echoed up the passage way. I felt goose bumps rising on my arms at that ever familiar noise. When the three of us approached the room that carried the screams, I was struck with an immense déjà vu.

The room was poorly lit with three or four lanterns at each corner. There were cages pushed against the wall and against each other, providing little walk room between them. Inside the cages were chimeras of different species. Each one misshapen and crippled in their own way. Some were chewing on the bars of their prisons, while other chewed on their own limbs.

I had prayed that I would never deal with this again. Those nights of hearing those chimeras crying out in pain floated through the shafts of the house and through the paper-thin walls of my bedroom. I remembered laying in my bed, eyes wide with pure fear. I rarely slept that year. Another reason why I never fell into a deep sleep.

I stepped closer to Ed for security, then I heard a human voice to my left.

"In here."

The Elrics and I followed the source of the voice down another hallway in the room. This one was dimly lit also, but I could easily see the designs on the walls and parts of the ceiling. They were transmutation circles. Several of them, I recognized, were close to the markings on my back. I pulled the sleeves of my jacket over my thumbs.

Mr. Tucker had his back to us and was kneeling on the floor. "I didn't think I'd be able to do it, but I guess I just surprised myself." He said, before turning to us. He stood up and stepped to the side, revealing the new chimera sitting behind him.

"And it's in perfect form," He continued, "A chimera that speak the human tongue."

I frowned. Something about this one _was _different than the others, but how did I know that? I felt my stomach churn, feeling a familiar vibe. There was something very wrong here.

"These are your friends, Kale and Edward." Mr. Tucker spoke to the chimera.

It looked at him, cocking it's head to side a little. "K-ale? Edward? Friends?" It asked with uncertainty.

"Yes, that's very good!" Mr. Tucker smiled.

"That's…very good." It responded.

"Amazing! It really can talk!" Al exclaimed.

"It is, isn't it?" Mr. Tucker grinned. "I'm grateful that I made it just in time for the assessment." He rubbed the back of his neck as he continued, "It's so obvious now, I don't know why I didn't see this before. Now, I won't have to worry about research funds once the money kicks in."

I knelt on one knee to peer closer at the chimera. I had nagging feeling in my stomach, like a vibe telling me I've seen this one somewhere before. The chimera looked up at me, sniffed at me a little, and then went for the chain to my pocket watch. It pulled on the chain with its mouth until the watch dangled from my belt buckle. I looked into the chimera's eyes, and it looked back at me.

_There's no way, _I thought. _He couldn't have…he didn't…_

"Kale? Friend?" The chimera asked.

I sniffed, trying to regain control. "Yeah" My voice started to break.

"Kale, why does…it hurt here?" It's eyes turned into a child's, almost as if it misunderstood why it became a victim by it's parents' greedy intensions.

A sob escaped from me as I leaned over to wrap my arms around it. Her. I buried my face in her long hair. I heard Ed walk up next to me as he spoke.

"Mr. Tucker, when was it you got your state license?"

"Um, about two years ago."

"And when did your wife leave you?"

"That was about two years ago as well."

Ed's voice began to rumble with emotion. "And those letters Nina wrote, did any of them ever reach her?"

There was a pause, then Mr. Tucker asked softly, "Why so many questions all of a sudden, Edward?"

"Just answer me this, where have Alexander and Nina gone to?" Ed demanded.

I heard Al gasp behind me. I wrapped my arms tighter around the chimera, my quiet sobs began to ache in my chest.

"I hate perceptive brats like you." Mr. Tucker said, just before I heard a body being slammed into a wall. I looked up and saw that Ed pinned Mr. Tucker against one of the back walls.

"How could you?" Ed growled, barely whispering.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Al shouted.

"This man used his own wife, Al." Ed seethed through his teeth.

"And now?"

"His daughter and his dog!" Ed held Mr. Tucker by his collar, gripping it harder. "Why did you do it?! Because humans are so much _better _aren't they? You can only go so far with experimenting with animals!" He spat out the last part.

Mr. Tucker looked down at him. "What are you so upset about? The progress of every experiment is slow and painful, even to the scientist. Somebody has to do it. You of all people should understand."

"Shut up!" Ed shrieked. "That does not give you the right to toy with people's lives! She was your only child, damn it!"

"Yes, but after so much research, I didn't think about that anymore." Mr. Tucker's eyes narrowed.

I stiffened upon hearing those same words come from someone else I knew. Someone with the same exact passions, and didn't care about consequences once they were made. I thought I was away from him for good, never to see his face again. However, his words had come once again, this time from another person's mouth.

"In fact, you and I are one and the same, Edward." Mr. Tucker continued. "I thought you could do it, so you did, thus resulting in your brother's soul and your arm. Isn't that what playing with people's lives is?"

"**Don't you **_**dare **_**compare yourself to him!**" My voice was raw with emotion. I slowly got to my feet, glaring straight through the man. I could not believe he put himself on the same level as Ed when he had no idea of what his intensions were. What Mr. Tucker and Ed wanted were two completely different things.

Mr. Tucker's eyes slid over to me as he sneered and chuckled deeply. "He was a disobedient brat who wanted to do what was forbidden just because it was forbidden. He couldn't help but try." He finished just before Ed threw his metal fist into the man's face.

"That's not true!" He screamed. "Alchemists never…I never…" He started to trail off, then his eyes grew darker. "I'm not like you. I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!!" He yelled over and over as his punches slammed into Tucker's jaw.

"Brother, stop this!" Al shouted desperately. "You'll kill him!"

Just before he threw one last punch, he stopped and looked down behind him. Nina was standing there, growling, with his jacket in her teeth. She released his jacket from her mouth.

"No, big brother." She said softly.

Ed loosened his grip on Mr. Tucker, who slumped to the floor as Ed turned to her.

"Nina, this may hurt." He told her. "So, please bare with me." He raised his hands to clap them.

"What are you thinking?" I panicked. "You can't separate them! She's too perfect!"

Mr. Tucker chuckled. "That's right. She's a perfect specimen right to the core. If you separate her, she'll become just like your mother!"

Ed froze and his eyes widened, then lowering his head in defeat, he dropped his arms to his side.

Nina turned towards Al, looking up at him. "You promised you'd come play with me." She said almost on the verge of tears.

"I know." Al replied quietly. "I'm sorry."

Suddenly there were footsteps running down the stairs behind us. I turned around and saw the Brigadier General and his troop entering the room. They stopped once they were inside, and the Brigadier General stared in shock before he demanded. "Tucker, what is the meaning of this?"

"Spare us, sir." Ed said, barely whispering. "He used his own daughter."

That night, Mr. Tucker was arrested. They also had taken Nina with them into custody. We gathered outside where Mr. Tucker was loaded into the back of a police van with several officers behind him. They had Nina locked in a cage. Ed, Al, and I stood off to the side watching, along with Brigadier General.

The silence broke once I spoke up. "What will happen to Nina?"

"Utterly you three are to tell no one about what happened tonight." He responded, deep and monotonously.

"What? You knew about this didn't you!" Ed yelled angrily at him. "You want to keep this all a secret? You think I'm going t-" He was interrupted by a large iron fist slamming into his gut. Ed clutched his stomach with his arms and collapsed to the ground.

"Ed!" I shouted. Kneeling beside him, I put my hands on his shoulders, trying to ease him back up, but he didn't budge.

"Let's head out." Brigadier General ordered to his men, who answered and followed him to the van. As it roared to life, Ed slowly got to his knees with his arms still wrapped around his stomach.

"Ed, are you alright?" I asked him, helping him up.

He did not answer, but growled and clapped his hands together. "I am not going to let her become a test subject!" He slammed his hands on the road, causing it to puff upwards and slant. The van tipped over and crashed on its side as the back doors fell open. Through them, out stepped Nina who started whimpering and sniffing at the ground.

"Nina!" Ed called out to her.

She turned her head towards us as she whimpered louder, and then took off running in the opposite direction. Ed and I ran after her, with Al at our heels.

I was surprised how fast she could move at first and I had a hard time keeping up with her. I kept my eyes fixed on the white furry form in the darkness of the night. I watched her run down an ally and I sprinted after her, afraid of losing her. I turned the corner of the ally, finally finding the rhythmic movement of my feet on the pavement. The white form turned down another ally just as I caught sight of her and I continued to sprint after her, leaving Ed and Al behind. I found her again just as she disappeared around another corner, each one growing darker at each turn.

When I turned the next corner, she vanished just as quickly as I rounded it. I kept my eyes fixated on the spot where I saw her turn, and desperately tried to steady my breathing. Suddenly, a flash of red light shot out from ally way sending a glow on the walls around me. A few seconds later, the glow eased, letting the darkness take over again. I was not sure what that meant so I continued running in the direction where I last saw her. Sadly, I was not prepared for what I would see next.

The next turn was a dead end and I stopped and stood there, hoping to find Nina, but there was no sign of her. At least, from what I could tell. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I saw an outline on the wall across from me. I squinted to see better and then a cry escaped my throat. I let myself fall to my knees, feeling the sobs in my chest but they would not come. Behind me, I heard Ed and Al run up beside me.

"Kale?" I heard Ed ask. "What is it? Where is she?"

I slowly lifted my arm and extended my finger, pointing towards the ally. My head was bent down and my eyes grew hot. Soon, the tears spilled down my cheeks and splashed onto the cold hard ground. I sat there letting them fall uncontrollably. Next to me, Ed walked into the ally way, and I knew it was only a matter of time before he saw the blood on the wall that outlined the body that was once human and canine.

The tears spilled harder on the pavement as more wet spots appeared around me, yet then I realized those were not caused by my tears. It was raining. The drips landed on my head and soaked through my hair. At that moment, I heard Ed sobbing in anguish from the ally, as he cried for the little girl who died a victim in the world's greedy hands.


	10. Chapter 9

_CLAP! SLAP! _The sound of Ed trying to force a reaction from the blood stained wall echoed throughout the ally. His sobs came deep within his chest and choked his throat. Meanwhile, I still had not moved from my sitting position on the sidewalk as the rain soaked through my hair and jacket. I stood up hearing footsteps behind me, slightly amused that my legs left two dry spots on the sidewalk. I looked and saw Colonel Mustang approaching with his hands in his coat pockets.

I walked over to Ed who had his hands against the wall and his head bent, now crying silently. "Ed," I said to him gently, "Colonel Mustang is here."

Ed turned his head to look over his shoulder, then dropped his hands and faced the Colonel.

"Don't bother trying." Colonel Mustang said monotonously. "You can't go around trying to bring every living thing that dies back to life," The rain dripped from the shock of black hair that hung over his eyes. "It's not possible and it's not healthy."

Beside me, Ed growled.

"Do you think you'd be able to live with the fact of bringing a malformed chimera back to life? Just be grateful it wasn't you and move on with your lives."

"Move on with our lives?!" I exclaimed.

The Colonel reached over and grabbed my chin between his forefinger and thumb, forcing me to look in his eyes. "When you joined the state military, what did you think would happen? You leave your emotions at the door because there's no room for it when you're under command. You can't get so wrapped up at every lost cause."

I flinched inside at his stern voice, lowering my eyes to the side, avoiding the uneasy feeling rousing inside of me. _It's okay, _I told myself, _he doesn't understand._ For years, I've dealt with lost causes and now I started a new life with Clyde and Marie. The progress of my healing was very slow and sometimes it's still very hard to forget what I saw and what I went through. I have done everything I can to keep those emotions under control, although sometimes they have come back to bite me.

He lowered his fingers from my chin as more officers began to arrive. They shouted directions to each other as they walked towards us in the maze of alley ways.

"The crime scene investigators are here." He said, "You all should let them take over."

I heaved a sigh and walked passed him and the other investigators. I stopped once I reached the street where police officers had scattered themselves amongst other military personnel. I turned around looking for the brothers when they walked up next to me. Ed has his head bent with his bangs covering his eyes, but I could see the tears traveling down his cheeks and dripping off of his chin.

I don't know how to explain what happened next, but it was purely by impulse, and maybe just because I'm a sucker for tears. I gently laid my hand on his shoulder so I wouldn't startle him. His muscles stiffened under my hand. "Let's head back to the hotel." I said softly, then looked up at Al.

"Right," Al nodded. "Come on, brother."

Ed's shoulders relaxed as he started walking with Al and I close beside him.

--

The following morning I went home as promised. I gave Clyde and Marie a brief synopsis of what happened and left out most of the details. I felt so emotionally drained that I just slept most of the day, aside from reading from some of the alchemy books I kept in Clyde's library and helping Marie a little around the house. That night, I went to bed early, still feeling some of the after effects of the night before.

The next day, I was called in for an assignment. An officer by the name of Lieutenant Jean Havoc came to bring me over. I recognized him as one of the soldiers at the murder scene two days before. The two us headed back to headquarters where I was told my partner would be waiting for me. Sure enough, we found him sitting on the steps of the main building with Al beside him. His head lowered as he fiddled with his pocket watch.

Lieutenant Havoc and I got out of the car and approached them. I could tell by Ed's face that he too had had a rough two days. He lifted his head and looked at me as I stood over him. "You ready for this, Ed?"

"I guess." He sighed and slipped his watch back inside his pocket.

The four of us headed inside the main building, when Lieutenant Havoc turned to us. "Looks like you two have seen better days."

Ed gave a weak smile before saying, "Yeah, who knew this kind of work would take its toll on us?"

I silently agreed. I was not expecting to meet such a heavy load just a little while after joining the state military. Although, I did get what I asked for when I expected so little. The past two days have been like a wake up call for me as to know what may happen later down the road.

"So, what's this assignment you got for us?" I asked the lieutenant.

At this time, we had come to a pair of large metal doors, which the lieutenant opened them, thus answering my question.

"Here you go." He said as he extended his hands into the large room. It was full of the chimeras that came from Tucker's basement, as well as some books and documents that he may have used for research on transmutations.

"The two of you are to go through this mess and organize it. Also, see if you can figure out the method behind Tucker's doing."

"You want us to sort through that maniac's work? Why can't he finish it himself?" Ed demanded angrily.

Lieutenant Havoc stared down at him intensely. "He can't. He's been executed. The guilt was quite literally written on his face, and it barely kept him silent over the whole thing. The military shooting squad brought him out early this morning to erase his name. They figured it was better than facing embarrassment in a trial."

_So, justice did prevail then, huh? _I wondered. However, I still felt lousy over the whole situation. It did not change the fact that Nina was still dead.

With that, Lieutenant Havoc left us there to work in the room, which we dived in with little enthusiasm. I had no idea where to start. There were the cages of chimeras who had now ceased the loud roaring once we first arrived and watched us as we stood in the middle of the room. I began working on looking through and organizing a pile of books off to one side. Al came to join me, while Ed made his way to the chimeras.

For a while, no one said anything as we worked. I silently leafed through Tucker's books, reading selected phrases and words that jumped out at me from the pages. I passed the books to Al who stacked them on the floor next to us.

"There seems to be a lot of books on the Philosopher's Stone here, brother." Al said over his shoulder.

"Whoopie-flippin-do." Ed responded with indifference. He continued feeding one of the chimeras from a bag of food he found in a corner.

Al sighed. "How long are you gonna keep sulking like this? Do you know the paths we could take with the help of alchemists information? Think of how much we could accomplish, or the things we could learn! We could do things we could never do before! We could-" He was interrupted by the bag of food thrown at his face.

"We won't be able to do anything because it doesn't exist!" Ed shouted at him. "It's just a fairy tale!"

Al calmly removed the bag from his face. "But if an experienced state alchemist like Tucker studied on the stone, then we-"

"To hell with Tucker and his research!" Ed glared and stomped his foot. "He was insane for what he did, or have you forgotten about Nina?" He made a fist and ran out of the room, slamming the metal doors behind them

Al and I were left sitting there, our eyes kept on the door. Then he turned to me.

"Sorry about that," he said softly. "I guess he's still shell shocked from last night."

I shook my head. "I just didn't know he'd take it so hard."

It took Al and I about half an hour to finish working and organizing the room. Afterwards we both went outside looking for Ed but he wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Where do you think he went?" I asked.

"I'm sure he's not too far." Al replied, placing a hand on my shoulder then quickly putting it back to his side. I looked up at him curiously. "I...I'm sure he'll be back soon. He usually doesn't wander off too far."

Just then, Ed came walking up behind us still steaming with his hands clenched into fists. I could tell by his expression that he was now angry over something else. I decided to approach him carefully, not wanting to cause another uproar.

"There you are, Ed. We've been looking for you everywhere." I followed him down the stairs then outside through the courtyard.

"Listen, I know you're upset over Nina. I am too, but there isn't a whole lot we can do about it. We're state alchemists, not the police. We can still use what we can do to research so we can avoid another conflict like this one. That way, we might be able to save another girl like Nina."

Ed took off running through the gates of the headquarters. I almost ran after him, mostly because I was frustrated at him, also I was not done talking to him. However, I stayed, letting him cool off on his own. I went back to where Al was standing, giving him a look that said, _Next time, you handle that brother of yours. You know him better than I do. _

I heard Al chuckle beside me as I noticed a women in military uniform heading towards us. I studied her carefully as she came up to us.

"Oh, hello Second Lieutenant Hawkeye." Al said next to me.

The woman smiled at him as she greeted him. "Hello, Alphonse. You've been doing well, I hope."

"Well…" Al started. "Things have gotten a bit hard since…I'm sure you've heard."

"Yes," She lowered her eyes sadly. "I was there after you left the scene."

Al looked over to her. "Actually, I was wondering if you heard anything about the Philosopher's Stone."

She raised her eyebrows. "No, I haven't really. Other than the stories of it just being a legend."

"Oh." Al said, disappointed.

"However, I will say this." She stepped closer to him with her voice lowered. "Any information you happen to pick up, keep it to yourself. It's too risky to let everyone know that you're after the Philosopher's Stone. If anything, it's best to drop what you're doing. It's been known for bad luck to follow those who pursue to look for it."

"Did someone say 'Philosopher's Stone'?" A voice sounded behind Al, who gasped and stepped to the side. An older man was there who wore the same blue military uniform, and had a black patch over his left eye.

The Second Lieutenant stood at attention and immediately saluted. "Sir!"

I turned to her asking, "Who is this?"

"Are you crazy? This man is-"

The man held his hand up to silence her, then he smiled at me. "I'm Fruher Bradley, Miss Lightning. You can say I'm the head of the military. Are you looking for the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Um, I'm helping a couple of friends, actually." I responded, folding my hands in front of me.

"I see. These friends of yours must be very important to you." He said.

I glanced up at Al, then shrugged and smiled. "Yeah, they're alright." I gave him a wink.

Al rubbed the back of his head-or helmet-and chuckled nervously.

"For generations, there have been people journeying around the world with hope of finding the stone," Furher Bradley said. "Personally, I try to stay away from any information, but from time to time I've heard about some alchemists who have succeeded in making one of their own. This information leaks its way to the military, and you can find their records in the national library."

"Really?" Al asked.

"Absolutely. However, only state alchemists have access to this library."

"Oh." Al slumped his shoulders in disappointment

I nudged him with my elbow. "It's no problem, Al. That's why you have me, remember?" I grinned at him.

"Oh, right!" He exclaimed.

I turned to the Furher and bowed. "Thanks for your help, sir."

"Don't thank me." He chuckled. "You're wasting time now if you're so eager to know more."

I smiled at him, then motioned to Al to head towards the library. We walked down the stairs and headed down the street. I felt a light spring in my step, grateful about this new lead. It was like a burden was lifted off of my shoulders. Al and I came around a corner where we saw Major Hughes as well as a few other military officers around. Judging by the looks on their faces, they seemed to be discussing something serious.

Major Hughes looked up at us and made his way towards us. I slowed down once I saw that he wanted something from us.

"Hello, Major Hughes." I said to him.

"Afternoon, you two. Now, it's not like me to get onto business right away, but I need to ask if either of you had seen a refrigerator truck parked anywhere near here?"

I drew my eyebrows together. "Um…no, I don't think so. Why? Is something wrong?"

Major Hughes nodded. "You could say that. I found out there have been trucks from a butcher's shop somehow bypassing inspection. If I did this correctly, this may have something to do with those women who were murdered."

"Really? How'd you figure that out?"

"The suspect has been moving the bodies after he kills them. And what a perfect way to do it with a refrigerator truck." Major Hughes tapped the back of his neck with the clipboard he was holding.

Al and I exchanged glances. "So, does that mean you have a heading?" I asked him.

"Supposedly. I've called police officers over and we'll be heading over to the shop soon. By the way, where's Edward? Isn't he usually with you?"

"I haven't seen him since we left HQ." I replied.

"I saw Fullmetal a little while ago." A solider came up beside us. "I told him he had a visitor waiting for him so I brought him to the front courtyard."

"Who was it?" Major Hughes asked.

"She said she was a childhood friend of the Elrics and wanted to see them."

Al gasped. "Winry's here?"

"Yes, that's her name." The solider looked up at him. "Although when we got there, she was gone. We noticed tire tracks where there was a refrigerator truck nearby. He seemed to have figured out what happened and took off running into town."

I considered this. "So, Ed's figured out everything too."

"Which means we don't have a lot of time to waste." Major Hughes said. He turned to the solider. "Round everyone up and tell them we're heading out now."

"Sir!" He saluted and walked to the other officers to gather them together.

"Major Hughes? Do you mind if Kale and I come along?" Al asked timidly. "I'm worried that my brother has gotten himself in the hands of a serial killer."

Hughes was looking down at his clipboard and scratching the back of his ear with a pen. He paused before answering. "I guess you can help us. My car is parked over there, I'll be with you in a minute."

"Thank you, Major Hughes." I bowed and turned to Al. "Let's go, Al."

We ran over to Hughes' car; I sat in the front seat while Al sat in the back. I heard him sigh so I turned around to face him.

"Everything alright, Al?"

"Uh…I guess I'm just worried about my brother. He always acts on impulse and that gets him into trouble." He settled back against the seat.

"Yeah, I've noticed. I'm sure he's fine, though." I reassured him, then hesitated before I added. "Maybe he's already caught the killer."

He sighed again as I saw Major Hughes making his way to us.

"I hope so, too."


	11. Chapter 10

My anxiety rose as we pulled up to an old and abandoned butcher shop. Plus, Hughes' reckless driving added to the nausea I felt slowly rising in my stomach. I quickly shoved those feelings aside as Hughes, Al and I rushed out of the car and ran to the door of the shop. As Al and entered, Hughes shouted out orders to the officers to surround the building to block any hidden exits.

The instant we ran in, a chill ran down my spine. Whether it was from the sudden pierce of the cold air from the freezer, or the decapitated, gutted pigs hanging from the ceiling, or the yells of struggling from Edward in the background, I wasn't sure. I rushed to the back of the room with my heart pounding, and Al right behind me.

Ed was on the ground kneeling next to a man lying on his side looking up at him. Ed had his blade formed on his metal arm, ready to strike the man who's eyes were big, waiting for whatever happened next. Ed let out a shrill yell and revved himself to attack when Al quickly grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

"No! Don't!" Al shouted.

Ed froze, and then turned around to attack whoever was behind him. He struck Al's metal body with a loud _PANG! _from his sharp blade. The noise echoed off the walls, causing my ears to ring. Al held the area where he was hit with his hand.

"You know it takes more than that to kill me, brother." He said softly.

Ed gazed at him with fear in eyes as tears streamed down his face.

"A-Al." His voice shook.

"Ed, are you okay?" I asked, kneeling next to him, then saw the deep cuts on his left arm. His blood trailed down to his wrist. I carefully lifted his arm to examine the wounds, while an officer came around behind me.

"Hey, they're all in here!" He turned and shouted towards the door, then he pointed his gun at the man on the floor. "Don't move!" He ordered sharply.

The man looked up at him, sneered and shrugged his shoulders while throwing his arms in the air to surrender.

"Kale." I heard Ed say my name as I glanced down at him. His head was bent with his bangs covering his face.

"I was so scared." He whispered, slightly whimpering. "I honestly thought I was gonna die." His chest heaved as he started crying. "I was so scared. So s-scared."

I regarded him. This was a new side of Edward I had never seen before and I didn't know how to react at first. However, seeing him sitting there as he cried like a scared little kid, I couldn't help but feel sympathy toward him. I gently wrapped my arms around his shoulders, surprising myself at my actions.

"Ed, it's alright." I said softly. "You're safe now. Everything's gonna be okay."

Edward's arm grabbed my waist, nearly knocking me over. I was glad to have my feet planted firmly otherwise the both of us would have ended up sprawled on the floor. His body slowly melted against me as he leaned his forehead against my shoulder. As he sniffed heavily into my shirt, I watched the officers haul the man, whom I assumed to be the mass murderer, away into a police van waiting outside.

Soon, the three of us made our way out of the shop. Edward sat himself on the steps as he clutched a blanket around him given by Second Lieutenant Hawkeye. Al joined him.

"I'm glad that Winry's okay too." He said.

"Winry?" I looked at him curiously.

Ed lifted a hand and pointed ahead to a girl standing next to Colonel Mustang. She was a little taller than me with long shining blond hair and big, deep blue eyes. She was very pretty. She was rubbing her wounded wrists while talking to the Colonel. Probably giving him information about what happened and how she got involved.

"How do you two know her?" I asked the boys.

"She's our childhood friend. We were born in the same town and grew up together." Al responded.

"Oh."

We got quiet as officers hustled around taking orders from Major Hughes and the Colonel. The man, known as Barry the Chopper was going to be charged on trial for the murder of ten women and kidnapping where he would be sentenced to prison for life.

"Brother, good news. The Philosopher's Stone may turn out to be real." Al started, probably to lighten the mood. "But all the clues we need are off limits except to those who are State Alchemists. Since I no longer have a body of flesh and bone, I can't feel the terror you felt when you thought you were gonna die. I'm sure it was must have been painful, and lonely." His voice grew quieter as the sun set below the rooftops of the buildings.

"I want my body back, brother. I want to be able to feel what you felt. To feel human again. And if we find the Philosopher's Stone, I can have that."

I started to sense a brother-to-brother moment so I made a move to leave them together until Edward spoke up.

"When I was sure he was gonna kill me, my hope vanished. My mind went blank and all I could do was scream my lungs out. I was unable to believe that someone would come in and save me. And then both of you showed up."

Once I heard he included me, I cast my gaze on the stairs near Ed's feet. My heart rate increased and my ears opened wide.

"I realized that if we don't take care of ourselves or each other, then who will? I'll do anything to get our bodies to normal, Al, even if I have to be on a leash by being a dog of the military. We'll just have to hope that we're just strong enough to rise above our limits." He broke down crying into his hands as I clenched my sleeve into my fist, sustaining myself.

"We're not gods, we're humans. Just tiny, insignificant humans…who couldn't even save a little girl."

I lowered myself next to Ed still regarding the stairs. I felt my heart breaking in two, but I was unable to squeeze out a single tear. And I hated that. I had cried so much in my past that I wondered if I cried myself dry. Was that possible? To go through so much pain and many tearful nights to never feel true emotion again?

I returned home late that night to find Clyde still up. He was in the kitchen working on a sculpture on the counter. I had a suspicion that he was waiting for me to get home. Or he was working late which happened quite often.

"Kale?" He called out, setting down a knife he was using and turned around to peer into the dark hallway by the kitchen door. "Is that you?"

I stood there for a second, knowing that if I didn't show my face he would guess something was wrong. I reached up, brushed my hair from my face and stepped into the brightly lighted kitchen. "Yeah." I said. "It's me."

He smiled warmly. "I was wondering when you'd come home. It's so late. What were you doing?"

I felt reluctant to answer, but he must have sensed that when he scratched the back of neck.

"Never mind." He told me. "I'm sure you'll tell me later. Hey, you want to check out how my sculpture is coming? I'm finally working on the details of this baby." He was practically grinning from ear to ear with his new improvements as he moved aside to let me see the small dragon on the counter top. It was perched up on its hind legs with its arms outstretched to the sides. It's mouth open wide as if at any moment it breathed fire. The wings were longer than the body and they were spread out taking up as much room as possible almost in an intimidating way. The details were not there yet, but the structure of the body was very obvious.

Any other time, I would have joined him, letting me into his world of artistic creation and modeling. I always thought he was such a good story teller, and each time I had gotten lost by his intriguing fantasies, even if they only lasted a couple minutes. But this time, I just couldn't.

"No, thanks." I said, shaking my head. "I'm kinda tired. I think I'll just go to bed."

Clyde glanced back at the dragon. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're anxious to hit the hay." Turning back around, he picked up his knife and began carving into the sculpture. "Good night, Kale."

"Good night."

I turned away, walking back into the hallway, where the moonlight slanted in the window by the door. It fell across a picture sitting on an end table against the opposite wall. In the picture were Clyde and Marie on the day of their wedding. Next to it, sitting right beside it was a smaller framed picture of me taken about two years after I had lived with them. I had never been very fond of that photo. Not that I hated having my picture taken. It just seemed rather out of place compared to Clyde and Marie's photo. I stood there for a minute, studying each of us, taking in Marie's content smile, Clyde's own expression almost the same as Marie's but with his personality smirking through. His head was slightly cocked to the side closer to Marie's. He almost leaned in behind her with his face half covered with her hair. When I got to my own picture, I found myself staring at it, the over the shoulder, unguarded, wide-eyed awkward face stared back at me. It was taken at a park just down the road from our house. I was sitting on a swing when Marie came up behind me with a camera, and all it took was to say my name and one click of the camera, thus came the result in the picture. The more I stared at it, the more it became deformed. Like a word on a page that you've printed a million times, that suddenly looks strange or wrong, foreign, and you feel for a second , like you've lost something, even if you're not sure what it is.


	12. Chapter 11

"_Seems like we're the only ones on board." Al commented._

_It was true. The car we were in of the train shook and rattled due to the massive extra space inside. It also sounded louder than usual, like the train was speeding over a hundred miles an hour. I decided to take advantage of having the car to ourselves by acting like a little kid with ADD, running up and down the aisle, thinking I was defying the gravitational force. _

"_I didn't think it was this bad when I heard the rumors." Edward said as he looked over the map. "We're definitely not in tourist country anymo-WILL YOU STOP?!" He shouted at me as I ran past him for the seventh time._

"_You just hate my spunk!" I yelled back as I reached the end of the aisle._

"_No, you're just annoying." He shot back at me, frowning and turning back to the map._

_I turned and scowled at him, sticking my lip out in a mock pouting fashion. I proceeded to run up and down the car a couple more times just for spite, then sat down on the seat on the opposite side of Edward and Al. I wasn't in the mood to sit next to my partner, and Al took up the whole seat across from him so that was out of the question._

"_Youswell really is on the outside of the eastern border." Edward began folding up the map as he glanced out the window._

_I fixed my eyes on the empty seat in front of me, my legs and arms crossed. My foot bouncing in the air a little. _

"_Brother." I heard Al say harshly._

"_What?" Edward's tone was bitter. There was silence following as I felt his eyes rest on me. He heaved a sigh and said, "Eh, she'll get over it. She's pretending to sulk."_

_Al sighed and I could almost see him shake his head as he did. _

_The silence continued to loom over us for a few more minutes before Edward broke it._

"_Al, you don't have to come with us to every mission, you know. There's two of us so we can look out for each other. You won't have to worry about anything."_

_I turned to look at him, surprised by his sudden change of attitude toward me. Or his sudden change in general. Something jumped deep inside my stomach, but I quickly dismissed it as Al answered him._

"_I want to be at your side, brother. I want to go through all the adventures you do and see all the things you see. We're in this together, you and me. Your words remember? Besides, someone needs to be the referee when the two of you start to butt heads."_

_I could hear the smirk sneaking through his tone. I narrowed my eyes at him, then glanced over at Edward who wore the same expression._

"_I can handle myself, thank you." I told Al._

"_Don't be so quick to defend." Edward said, grinning like a sly cat. "You wouldn't last two minutes in a combat fight." _

"_What makes you say that?"_

_He blinked at me. "Look at you."_

_I self-consciously wrapped my arms around my waist. Okay, so maybe I was a little on the skinny side, but he didn't have to point it out like I couldn't fight for myself. And he wasn't much bigger than me, so he had no room to talk. However, I knew that he could pack a punch, remembering how he nearly pulverized Mr. Tucker._

"_Hey guys, look, I think that's it!" Al said, pointing ahead out the window to a small town in the distance against the mountains._

_I walked across the aisle to join Ed and Al at the window. I sighed with relief at the thought of finally getting off the train and starting the mission. At first, I had no idea what to think about this mission, or a mission in general. Colonel Mustang called me in to Central early that morning saying he had important information for me. The instant I walked into his office, he handed me a slip of paper saying I had an inspection of a coal mine in Youswell. Ed would be by my side of course, he had said with a small twinkle in his eye. And, as if on cue, Ed walked through the door looking exhausted. Most likely from what happened to him the night before. After Ed got his information on the inspection, he, Al and I boarded the train for a five hour trip toward east._

_Now, the train was pulling up to the station and slowed to a stop. Ed and I grabbed our bags and stepped off the train with Al behind us. I looked around and realized that "station" was a pretty generalized term for something so diminutive. The three of us stood on a wooden platform that sunk in the middle from the support beams rotting underneath. The platform creaked as I hurried to the stairs to stand on something more solid, like the ground._

_Edward followed me from the stairs and took a look around. "So, this is what they call the wild frontier, eh? Somehow I expected something a little more lively."_

_I looked around myself at the buildings and log piles scattered about. I saw a few men wearing hard hats, holding shovels and pick axes as they headed into a mine shaft that was about hundred feet to my left. A few other men were slumped against the buildings with their heads leaned back and their mouths hanging open as they snored loudly. Some of them hadn't shaved in a couple weeks._

"_Everyone looks so worn out and tired." I commented as I watched one of the men slowly stand from his crouched position by the coal shaft._

_Ed sighed. "Well, let's just get this investigation over with, Kale. I'm in the mood for a hearty meal and a good night's sleep, then we'll check things out and head back to Central as soon as-" __WHACK!_

A long wooden plank collided with Ed's head with such force that he arched his back then fell face first into the dirt. For a moment, nobody moved after the shock slowly died down. My throat felt dry and I realized that I was holding my breath. 

Then, with shaky movements and small moaning noises, Ed slowly struggled to his feet. I bent down and held him by the shoulders to help him stand. 

"Are you alright, Ed?" I asked hesitantly. 

"Yeah," He replied, his hand to his head where he was hit. "I think so." He then turned to the boy carrying the plank. "Why don't you watch where you're going?!" He demanded.

The boy looked at him with large eyes. His face was smudged with dirt and coal specs. He wore a white t-shirt that was stained with coal and black overalls. 

"I'm really, very sorry about that." He replied. "I didn't see you there." He watched us for a while as Ed dusted himself off. "Hey, you guys are from outta town, right?" A smile gleamed across his face. 

I raised my eyebrows at the change in the boy's attitude and began to reply when he interrupted me.

"Where ya from? Need a place to stay? A place to eat even?" 

I put my hands up pretending to surrender as the boy turned and shouted up to a tower nearby. "Hey Dad, we got customers!"

"Huh, I'm sold just by the welcoming committee." Ed muttered and crossed his arms.

A man appeared at the top of the tower. "What did you say, Kyle?"

"Customers!" The boy shouted, known as Kyle now, pointing wildly at Ed and I. "Real live piggybanks!"

"What?" I looked him, incredulously. 

"Just what do you mean by piggybanks?" Ed's mouth filled with razor sharp teeth as he yelled.

"Is that so?" The man on the tower asked, grinning.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dusk had arrived pretty quickly as Kyle and his dad, who introduced himself as Holly, took us to their hotel they owned. In the restaurant area, there were several other coal minors scattered around the tables. Each one had their own large mug of beer.

I set my hand down on a counter near me. The air in the room was thick that I started coughing. I quickly covered my mouth with my arm. _Must be from the coal dust, _I thought. Then I realized something and picked my hand that was on the counter and looked at it. My palm was black with dust.

Holly's chuckled as he watched me. "My apologies about the dust. The mines don't pay us much, so my family runs this inn to tie up any loose ends."

A muscle-defined man at one of the tables in the corner of the room chortled. "Nah, you're just a softie! You always give to others first, especially to those less fortunate."

"And you wonder why your wife cries every night." Another man at the same table commented. 

"If you men are complaining about my way of living, why don't you start by paying me more for your booze!" Holly shouted at them, causing all the men in the room to roar with laughter.

A woman approached us with a slip of paper in her hands. Her dark hair pulled back tight into a bun, with a few short, curly hairs hanging down the sides of her face. "So then, there's three of you. Would you like to stay for one night and have two meals for each of you?"

"Yes, please." I smiled gratefully at her.

"What's the cost?" Edward asked.

"What, think you can't live up to our standards?" Holly asked with a smirk.

"No," Ed replied, smiling contently. "We can afford it."

Holly held up two fingers. "Our price is two hundred thousand."

My shoulders slumped as Ed fell to the floor. "You can't be serious."

Holly shrugged. "I said you probably won't be able to live up to our standards."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ed said as he stood back up. "I didn't know this flea bag motel would have such high expectations for their customers."

I elbowed him in the ribs and hissed in his ear. "Be nice!"

He growled and tightened the collar to his jacket. "No, forget this place, Kale. We're leaving."

"But they offered us to stay at their hotel." I tried pleading with him.

"There's no way I'm staying with these greedy thieves." He frowned at me and headed for the exit. "We're leaving and that's final!"

He was almost at the door when he was grabbed by Holly from behind by his hood. "Sorry to disappoint you, little guy, but the other hotels in town offer the same price."

Edward began thrashing around and tried hitting Kyle's dad but was held back by his long, massive arms. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?! I'M NOT LITTLE!!"

I dug out my wallet and counted the money I had. Darn it. Not enough. Even with the amount Ed had, we would still be in the hole. I looked up at Al.

"I don't have enough. What do we do?"

"Maybe my brother can figure something out." He replied. 

I bit my lip, thinking to myself. "You know, I'm very tempted to try making my own money from pebbles, or something."

"You really wouldn't, would you?" Al whispered to me. "It's forbidden."

"Yes, I _know. _Do you have a better idea?" I was getting frustrated and feeling hopeless. What would we do if we didn't get a place to stay for the night? I was not keen on sleeping outside in the dark, in the cold, and on the street. However, I didn't noticed the audience we had. I looked down and saw Kyle standing very close beside me, listening to every word we had said.

"Hey, dad!" He shouted, pointing at me. "This girl's an alchemist!"

His dad cast his eyes from the thrashing Edward, who was still trying to get his own punch in after the "little guy" comment, over to me. "Really?" He asked as he grew a smile. "You're an alchemist, huh?"

I scratched my nose. "Um…yeah." I wasn't sure how much of myself to reveal to these people, so I decided to stick with the basics.

"Well, perfect!" He exclaimed. "You must be pretty smart to figure out that stuff. When I was your age, I dabbled in it a bit myself, but it was so difficult I gave up studying."

"Actually, both of us are alchemists." I said, pointing at Ed, still grumbling as he walked up beside me.

"That's even better!" Holly laughed. "Our first customers in ages and they turn out to be alchemists!"

I laughed to myself when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up and saw a man with short red hair standing behind me. "You're able to fix things with alchemy, right?" He asked me.

"Yeah." I replied.

"Good. I have a pick ax that broke in half a few months ago. Do you think you could take a look at it?"

"Sure." I nodded. 

He smiled and lead me to a table. He rummaged through his bag sitting on the floor and set a pick ax on the table. I looked over it, taking note where it had broken, then drew a circle diagram on the table and set the ax in the middle. I placed my hands on the edge and let the light show begin. Many of the men exclaimed in awe in the bright room. Once the light subsided, the ax was revealed whole and in one piece again.

"Wow." The ax owner said, taking his axe and turning it over. "Thanks for that. It's like brand new!"

Edward stood beside me and smirked. "Nice one, Kale. Maybe that will get us a free meal."

Holly walked up just then and whispered to us. "Yes, a free meal and I'll even give you a special alchemists discount."

I glanced at Edward, then grinned at Holly. Edward smiled and nodded. "That…sounds great." He said.

"However," Holly started, folding his arms. "I can only give you half as much. One hundred thousand."

Edward scowled as he sat down at a table. "That's still quite expensive."

"It's better than it was." I told him as I joined him, a plate of food was placed in front of me.

"Say, I didn't catch either of your names." Holly said. He placed a plate full of hot food in front of Edward. "What's yours?"

Edward grinned. "I'm Edward Elric."

The chattering in the restaurant ceased as the smiles turned into glares, making the temperature in the room seem to drop. I shuddered and braced myself for the worst once the faces turned unfriendly. Playing it cool seemed the only option, so I kept quiet. I clutched to my watch that was hidden in my pocket.

Holly leaned in closer. "Elric. As in the state alchemist?"

Ed watched him cautiously. "Um…yes."

Suddenly, someone grabbed his shoulders, shoved to the door and tossed him outside. I winced as he fell down the stairs, his bag flying out behind him and bouncing off his head. Instantly, he sat up and turned to the men inside.

"What the hell was that for? This is how you treat paying customers?!" He screamed. 

"We don't give our food and shelter to those who sold their souls to the military!" Holly responded gruffly. He then turned to Al and I and narrowed his eyes.

"Are you two with him?" He asked.

"No," I replied coolly. "We just met him on the train this morning."

Edward gawked at me as Holly smiled easily. "Oh, well then, you are welcome to stay here." Just before he closed the door, I mouthed "sorry" to Edward, who was still sitting outside on the cold ground watching us.

Once Al and I sat at our table again, I resumed eating my meal calmly when Al nudged me.

"Do you have a plan or something? That was really out of character for you."

I nodded and whispered to him. "I don't want them to know I'm with the military, too. Not until I get information on why they hate us, and don't worry, it's under control."

At that moment, Kyle joined us, his eyebrows pinched together. I looked over him then tried to be as casually as possible. "So," I began. "I guess you people here don't take too kindly to those of the state, huh?"

Kyle glanced over at me. "No, everyone hates soldiers here. Lieutenant Yoki is in charge of running this town, but he only cares about making money."

"He's the one who owns this town?" I asked.

"At one point he owned just the coal mine, but he got greedy and moved up. Everything here is under his name."

"How did he move up?" I set my fork on my plate.

One man sitting near our table answered. "I heard he bribed all the authorities in Central. That's also how he became lieutenant."

"So, why didn't you just report him to the higher up's at the state? Surely, they would've done something about him."

"Even if we would, Yoki would just bribe them all the same." Kyle said flatly.

I sat back in my chair, regarding the boy. "You mean you haven't tried to report him?"

Kyle tightened his grip on his cup in front of him. "It wouldn't make a difference. Trust me." 

Holly walked up to our table and took away my empty plate. "Those state alchemists are just as trouble. I can never forgive someone who sold their soul and became a lap dog for the military." 

Kyle sighed, tracing his finger on the handle of his cup. 

"Well," Holly said, abruptly. "Time to get the chores done for the night. Help your mother with the dishes, Kyle."

"Okay, dad." He said softly. He stood up and headed for the doors to the kitchen while his father walked to the front counter. He ducked behind it, then appeared again with a rag and began wiping the surface of it.

I studied the tabletop as I let those words sink in. I knew for sure that whoever this Yoki character was, he was definitely not making Edward and I, or any other state alchemist for that matter look very good. All in all, I felt bad for the people here who had to put up with him. 

I stood up, clearing my throat as I did so, signaling to Al to follow. I headed for the door and was about half-way there when I noticed Al wasn't behind me. I turned around and saw him still sitting there, looking at me confusingly. I nodded my head and motioned with my eyes to the door.

"Oh." He said softly, finally getting message. He picked up the plate of uneaten food that was given to him and walked up beside me.

We found Edward outside sitting on the edge of the porch, staring at the moon. He groaned as his stomach growled loudly. He heard Al and I approaching, then turned his head and brightened when he saw us.

"You didn't abandon me after all!" He grinned.

I raised an eyebrow, but couldn't help smiling a bit. "Of course not. I had to improvise once I knew that they were onto you."

Al handed him the plate of food. "Here brother, you can have my meal."

"Thanks, Al." Edward smiled at him gratefully.

I seated myself next to him with Al on the other side. I looked up and watched the full moon for a little while before I began my explanation. As he was eating, I told Edward everything I knew about Yoki and the townspeople. When I finished, he lowered his mug of coffee and regarded the floor.

"I see." He said. "He's the reason behind everyone's hostility."

I leaned back and clicked my heels together a few times. "I'm not liking this one bit, Edward. I feel like we have to do something about it. I mean, we are part of the military, right? Shouldn't we know how to handle this guy?"

Edward was staring out into the distance, his eyes glazed as if he was in another world. He held his mug up to his chin.

"Maybe we can." He said, thoughtfully.

"Out of the way!" A shrill voice pierced through the night as the door to the hotel banged open. The light from inside streamed out onto the porch. I looked up and saw three men in the blue military uniform burst inside.

Afterwards, I was unable to clearly hear what they were saying, so I went over to the closest window and peeked through. The men were standing in the middle of the room. They seemed to be arguing with Holly about something, when Kyle stepped in. Kyle yelled and threw a rag at the man in the middle. He picked it off his face and bashed Kyle in the side of his head with his hand, knocking Kyle to the floor. He then signaled to the solider beside him to strike the boy. The solider picked up a sword from his belt and swung it down towards Kyle. Edward was inside in a flash. With a loud clang, he blocked the blow with his right arm. The sword broke in half from the hit and the broken end flew into the air, the end stabbing into the floor.

The solider looked down at his broken sword, then at Edward. "W-where did you come from?" He asked.

Edward shrugged and then smiled casually. He lifted his mug to his mouth, slurping his coffee. I walked up beside him and waved at the soldiers.

"What do you brats want?" One of them, I assumed to be Yoki, demanded.

"We just came to say hello to a fellow follower of the state." I grinned saying pleasantly as I held out my pocket watch to him. Edward smiled coolly dangled his from the chain.

Yoki studied us, then stared back at our watches. Suddenly, his face reflected his realization as he gasped loudly.

"Hey, boss, who are these kids?" One of the soldiers asked, pointing to Edward and I.

"You dolt!" Yoki screamed at him. He started whispering into the soldier's ear, while the two of us looked on. Then, slithered over to Edward as he smirked.

"I apologize about my subordinates' rude behavior earlier. I'm Yoki, and I run this town. Why don't you two stay at my place? It's far better than staying at a cheap, run-down motel for the likes of you."

"That would be great!" Edward smiled. "The manager here wouldn't even offer us a room." 

"Very well." Yoki said. He turned to the door as Edward and I were lead out of the hotel.

Later, we had dinner at Yoki's mansion, according to his likings. I considered he was eating well compared to the townspeople. I wasn't going to bring that up until Edward beat me to it. At that, Yoki admitted that the tax collecting had become slower than usual. 

"So, what you're doing by running the town is 'asserting' the civilians rights, aren't you." I asked, thoughtfully.

"Exactly." Yoki said, smiling confidently. "I've wanted to give as much as I can to the townspeople to help them with their troubles, however, some of them don't understand the meaning of…equivalent exchange, as you put it."

I regarded him for a while when I heard the sound of coins being laid on the table next to me. A soldier placed a small token bag between Edward and I.

"If you would be so kind as to take this token of my of my gratitude."

"This wouldn't be a bribe, would it, Yoki?" Edward asked.

"Nonsense. Just think of it as my own equivalent exchange. We understand each other, right?" He watched us, almost sneering.

I glanced at Edward, then exhaled sharply through my nose. "Yeah, we hear you." I nodded.

"Wonderful." Yoki smirked.

After the dinner, Edward and I were ushered to our rooms for the night. I walked into mine, and nearly regretted about leaving the hotel that was offered to us. Before we were seen as the ugly dogs from the state. The high walls gleamed with the ivory setting. A chandelier hung low from the ceiling, creating a glow in the room that warmed me from the inside. I set my bag on the table in the middle of the room and went over to the large window that overlooked the town. The lights from the homes and small business buildings dotted the darkness below. The sun had now set below the mountains where the sky reddened in the atmosphere. I went back to my bag and dug out my pajamas for the night. I changed into them, and went in the bathroom to wash my face. I returned after doing so, turned out the light, and got into the massive bed that almost seemed to swallow me whole with the thick blankets and cushy pillow. I laid there for a while staring into the darkness, wondering if Al was doing okay by staying at the hotel with Kyle's family. Hopefully, they made him feel at home after all that happened.

The last thing I heard before falling asleep was the sound of a building exploding far in the distance. Then it was quiet. 


	13. Chapter 12

I was sitting in the windowsill watching my mother work at the kitchen counter. My small feet dangling over the edge as I silently willed her to turn around and notice me, or make some sort of sign of acknowledgement. She didn't turn her head in my direction as she passed me to head toward the stove to check on the pasta. I remember it was pasta. It was one of those little things that burned into my mind that day. I even remembered the dress I was wearing. It was a sleeveless summer dress with pink horizontal stripes and a white collar. Swinging my bare feet in the air, I picked at the hem of my dress. I continued to watch her as she fumed and pranced around the kitchen. I wasn't sure what she was frustrated about. It wasn't over the pasta, she was always a good cook. It was probably the only good thing I remembered about her.

She passed by me again, her hands on her hips, face red with irritation, growling in a manner that I was very familiar with. What she said next I couldn't remember, but no matter how weary I was of her at the moment, it still saddened me. I was obviously naïve in choosing my words to say to her. Afterwards, I regretted it.

She turned to me, her green eyes flashing in anger that scared me to the core. She stormed over to me, placed her hand on my chest and pushed me out through the open window. I landed on my back about four feet below onto the stones that surrounded our house. A sharp stone pierced into my left shoulder, leaving a small gaping hole next to my shoulder blade.

I laid there with the wind knocked out of me. The first thing I felt was the fear of losing my breath. Then I felt the pain. Once I was able to breathe again, I carefully stood up and headed back into the house. I cautiously walked through the side door, hoping not to cross by my mother again. I reached my room, and sat on my bed and waited. I didn't dare go downstairs. I now knew what aggravated her.

I waited for my dad to get home from his track meet with the 5K runners. I found him in his room, still wearing his jogging pants and sweatshirt. He was taking his shoes off when I approached him. Before he said anything to me, I turned around and showed him where the stone had dug into me.

"Sweetheart, what happened? How did you get hurt?" He asked, his eyes wide with concern.

"I fell." I replied softly. "Mommy's mad at me."

He stared at me for a while, then placed his head into his hands in anguish. He stayed that way until I leaned myself against him, then he gently wrapped his arms around me and picked me up. He took me into the bathroom where he set me on the edge of the sink. He cleaned my wound and bandaged my shoulder.

"Now, this will turn into a scar, so keep your eye on it." He said.

"What about Mommy?" I asked him.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Just…try to stay out of her way when she's angry, okay? You did nothing wrong, but please, try not to make matters worse." He leaned in and kissed me lightly on my forehead.

I gazed down at my knees. "Okay, daddy."

* * *

I rapped on Edward's door early the next morning. Fortunately for me, he was already awake and putting on his coat, otherwise I'd have to deal with his cranky side.

"Ed, did you hear an explosion last night?" I attempted to brush my hair with my fingers, which didn't work out very well.

"Yeah, and I have a feeling of what it's about too." He responded as he hopped up and down as he struggled to get his boot on.

I watched him. "You do? You think Yoki might be the cause of it?"

He pulled a glove on his hand. "It's a good guess. It's a good way of controlling the townspeople to follow your rules. Teach them a lesson." He trailed off a little.

I sighed and crossed my arms. "I just hope that nobody got hurt."

"Yeah, me too. Let's get going."

We reached outside where the cool air of the morning cut into me. I shivered a little and stuffed my arms into my pockets, keeping them close to my body. The two of us hustled down the main road of the small town. The windows of every building were dark. I saw a few people on the side of the road, their faces grim.

We arrived at the hotel, or what was left of it. I stared at the pile of ruble that was surrounded by its' jagged skeleton. Kyle and his family were nearby along with Al.

"Al, is this Yoki's work?" I asked him.

"Uh-huh." He replied.

Holly was sitting on the ground comforting his weeping wife. "I knew something was wrong when I saw Yoki's henchmen hanging around the hotel. I wish I could've done something."

"Hey, um Ed?" Kyle walked up to us, his face expressing his uncertainty. "If this isn't too much to ask, do you think you can help us out? You know, use your alchemy to whip us up some gold?"

Ed glanced at him. "No, I can't."

Kyle's mouth sunk in disappointment. "Come on, please? It's not like it's gonna cost you anything."

Ed shook his head. "I don't see you any reason to give you free money."

Kyle frowned and turned to look at me for my help. _Great, put me on the spot. _I thought.

"Sorry, Kyle, if we do give you money, it'd be counterfeiting. Besides, that money would eventually end up in Yoki's tax vault anyway."

Kyle sighed and lowered his head as Holly came up next to him, and placed his hand on his son's shoulder saying, "It might be hard to for you to understand this, but this town was our birthplace and our cemetery."

I watched the two of them for a while before turning to Ed and Al. Ed's expression was unreadable and Al, who didn't have much of an expression anyway, but I could tell he was watching me, waiting for what happened next. The instant Ed turned and walked away, I knew something was up. I ran up next to him.

"Please tell me you have a plan."

"I might," Ed replied, "and it just may put Yoki in his place. Since he bribes the higher-ups to get what he wants, I figure we can do the same and use it against him."

"Okay, how do we do that?" We came to the train tracks near the mines.

"By using fake gold." He smirked at me.

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Al put his hands on his hips. "Brother, you're not planning what I think you're planning are you?"

Ed looked up at him with big eyes. "What do you think I'm planning?"

I rubbed my forehead. "What happened to applying by equivalent exchange?"

Ed walked over to the tracks that held trailers carrying coal waste from the mines. "Boy, you two are so sour about this." He said as he hoisted himself up by one leg on top of one trailer. "If we don't get caught, we don't get caught." He clapped his hands and placed them in the shale. The beams of light shot through the air as the coal waste turned into solid, shiny bars of gold.

He jumped down from the trailer. "In order to give the town back to its citizens, the rights have to be given to them. The only way to do this is to 'bribe' our way to those rights. Using these gold bars should be enough to reel in that snake of a lieutenant."

"What happens when he finds out that the gold is fake?" I asked.

"Would you tone it down a little?" Ed shushed me, "There's a guy about four blocks down who didn't catch that last part!"

I scowled at him.

Later, we made it up to Yoki's mansion dragging several hundred pounds of Ed's gold behind us. Once it was set up for his plan, Ed asked Yoki's henchmen to see an offer he would make. A couple minutes passed and Yoki came to us and smiled.

"Ah, Ms. Jensen, Mr. Elric and…" He gazed at Al confusingly.

"My younger brother, Al." Ed said, nodding his to him, then smiling. "We have a special offer for you, Yoki."

"An offer for me?" He asked slightly intrigued.

"Well, maybe somewhat of a favor for you, too." I said. "Providing for those townspeople can be pretty tiresome after a while, I'm sure."

"How about we take them off of your hands and you give us the rights for the town?" Ed asked.

"You two really want to run this town?" Yoki asked, perplexed.

Ed grinned and held up a finger. "This is the part where our offer comes in."

Al opened the large doors behind us, revealing a room full of the shining gold bars. Yoki's expression went from puzzled to sheer astonishment. His henchmen stood by, gaping their mouths like fish. They slowly approached the gold bars with awe, quietly muttering to each other.

Yoki stared at us, his jaw dropping low. "You cannot be serious!"

"Is it not enough?" Ed asked.

"Don't be ridiculous, please!" Yoki shook his head vigorously and frantically waved his hands in the air. "With all due respect, this will be more than enough to bid farewell to this hole-in-the-ground of a city. Also, if it isn't too much to ask…"

Ed grinned again, seeming to catch the lieutenants' intention. "Oh, of course. I'll see to it that a good word will be put to the superiors."

I regarded him, then decided to play along by smiling and nodding my head.

"You both are too kind." Yoki said, shaking Ed's hand then moving to shake mine. "_Kind" may not be the word I'd use in this situation. _I thought to myself.

Ed, Al and I left the mansion with the documents for the city's ownership a few minutes later. As we walked down the main street to find the minors and their families, Ed's grinned widened with every step. I watched him out the corner of my eye and smiled myself.

"You're definitely in a good mood, Ed." I said.

"That was so easy." Ed said, holding up the documents. "In a short while, the rights will be given back to the town and everything will prosper from there."

"I'm a tad nervous, though. These people might still be hostile towards us." I said.

"Yeah, maybe," Ed said, "but they'll change their minds once they see what we have for them."

Ed then turned to the city hall we were passing. He ran up, with Al and I behind him, and burst through the door with full force.

"Hel-_lo _everybody!" He shouted. "How _are_ all of you? You're all looking mighty cheerful today."

His response was a room full of tired, worn-out people with glares and scowls on their faces. As I thought, they didn't look too happy to see us. I tried not to appear guilty by plastering a grin on my face and lightly chuckling. Behind me Al cleared his throat.

"What do you want?" Kyle demanded.

"Now is that any way to speak to your leaders and over-all legal owners of this joint?"

"Just what the hell are y-" A largely built, bald man walked up as soon as Ed pressed the documents in his face.

"What's this?" He asked.

"Ownership papers. They hold all the rights to the town, including the mine and all the other businesses." Ed smiled.

"Huh? How did you get this? Wait! It says it's been sighed over to Kale Jensen and Edward Elric?!"

"WHAT?!" Kyle and Holly exclaimed.

"That's right!" Ed grinned wildly, "From this moment on, this entire town belongs to us!" Ed pointed at us with his thumbs, while everyone in the room dropped their jaws in shock. "Believe it or not," He continued, "although, keeping these papers would get annoying after a while."

"We'll be pretty busy running around doing missions that they may get old and ripped to shreds eventually." I said.

"Are you two saying you want to sell the deed to us?" Holly asked. "How much?"

Ed smirked. "Why? Afraid you won't be able to afford it? Everything comes with a high price, especially this deed here," He set the papers on a nearby table. "It's printed on high quality paper with a gold seal and all the trimmings. Yes, this is the work of a _true _artist. In fact, even the key is made of silver, but that's just a specialists' opinion. However, with that in mind, why don't we leave it at the price of one night's stay and two meals for three. How's that sound?"

For a moment, Kyle and Holly stared at us. Then I saw the realization in Kyle's eyes. "I get it! The equivalent exchange!" He exclaimed.

Holly laughed loudly. "Of course, that _is _expensive! I'll buy it!"

Ed grinned and slapped the table. "Sold!"

In that instant, the door slammed open with Yoki standing there along with his henchmen. "Elric, Jensen, what is the meaning of this?" He exclaimed, "The gold you gave me turned into coal! Please explain!"

"When did you change it back?" Al whispered to Ed.

Ed smirked before turning to Yoki, "Right before we left. Sir, I don't know what you mean by gold bars."

"Mr. Alchemist, don't say that! We exchanged gold for the deed, this is fraud!"

"What are you talking about?" Ed scratched the back of his head. "If I remember well, the deed was given to me free of charge. At least, that's what it says here." He held up the letter of signatures to Yoki.

Yoki growled. "This is treason!" He waved his henchmen over. "You two, I order you to take away these documents now and teach these people a lesson!"

As the henchmen headed for us, one of the bigger coal minors stepped in between Ed, Al and I and Yoki. He smiled grimly down at them.

"Abusing your power again, eh?" He said, "You shouldn't take something from someone by force."

Yoki's face whitened. "Sh-shut up, you scum, and get out of my way if you don't want to get hurt..."

"Lieutenant…" The man grinned and cracked his knuckles while several other coal minors stepped up behind him. "You should never underestimate the strength of a coal minor."

Yoki watched his henchmen thrown and pummeled to the ground by the large group of men as he whimpered and fell to his knees. Once the henchmen were dealt with Ed turned to Yoki and told him of his promise of his good word about him to the superiors. This caused Yoki to run out screaming and wailing at the top of his lungs. _At least he kept his dignity, _I thought sarcastically to myself.

* * *

An hour later, all of us were celebrating the freedom for the town of Youswell at the new hotel Ed had constructed together with alchemy. Kyle and his parents were very thankful to us for everything Ed, Al and I did for them, as well as everyone else in the town. Right before our dinner, they gave us a standing ovation that made me blush all the way down my neck and Ed pull off his usual goofy grin, while Al sat by us and rubbed his head chuckling to himself.

After awhile of celebrating, the room started growing warm from many people in one area with the excitement adding to it. Ed was busy with his new friends, the coal minors, and fending off any alcoholic drinks they tried giving him. Instead, I motioned over to Al that I was going outside for a few minutes.

I stepped out on the porch and let the cool air consume me. Looking out around me, I took in the sights of the town. Aside from a few dim lights in the nearby buildings, the moonlight cast a pale light upon the town. The chatter from inside the hotel echoed out into the street. I sat on the porch and cupped my chin in my hand, resting my elbow on my knee.

I was alone for a minute when I heard footsteps nearing. Ed walked up to me and sat on the porch by me. I smiled at him and he returned one of his own.

"You've been out here a while," he said, "Didn't feel like socializing for very long?"

"It was hot in there. I needed air."

"Oohh." He drawled.

I looked back out at the street when I heard something bang onto the porch beside me. Ed had placed a half-empty bottle of a beverage that I couldn't make out in the dark.

"Ed, what is that?" I asked.

"What?"

I glanced down at the beer bottle then back at him. He followed my eyes, and then turned away from me.

"Does your brother know about this?"

"Yes, he does." Ed told me.

I shook my head. "Poor kid."

He looked at me with a scowl on his face. "Why do you say that?"

"I feel sorry that he has to put up with the likes of you for a brother." I told him.

His scowl deepened into a frown. "Hey! At least I'm not as cocky as you are!"

"Oh, good comeback." I grinned at him. What was I doing? I was acting just like Clyde.

Ed glared at me. "You know, for a girl, you're really un-cute."

I guffawed at that one, causing Ed to snarl at me. "Sheesh, I guess there's an evil side to everyone in this world. And to think I thought you had a sweet personality at the beginning."

I pretended to look hurt at that comment. "I can have a sweet personality."

He snorted. "You're not exactly alluring in it tonight."

"Come on, Ed, I was just teasing. Don't take it so hard."

"Humph" He raised the bottle and finished the remains of it and set it back down. A few seconds passed when he picked it up again and looked at it. "Uh-oh." He said, and got up to head inside.

"Ed, you are gonna have such a headache in the morning." I yelled after him.

"Nag, nag, _nag_. What are you, my mother?" He shouted back as he disappeared inside the hotel.

I turned back around and shook my head. I knew then from that moment on, my partnership, and possible relationship with this guy was going to be a very interesting one. I had no idea what was in store from this in the future.


	14. Chapter 13

_"You're still up? You should've been asleep hours ago." He didn't take his eyes off of his notes. His chin was cupped in his palm as he scratched his pen across the paper._

_"I keep hearing noises from down here. What's going on?" I asked, curling my toes underneath my nightgown. The soles of my bare feet were chilled by the cold, cement floor._

_He set his pen down. "Noises? Really? Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"_

_I nodded slowly. "They woke me up."_

_He averted my eyes as he turned to me. "Everything's fine, Kale, don't worry. Go back to bed, you need sleep. You have a big day at school tomorrow."_

_I was too tired to argue, so I decided to obey him for now. I turned to head back up the stairs, and that's when I heard it again. This time it was by my feet. The same lonesome, sickly moan I had been hearing almost every night. I looked down and saw a cage sitting on a shelf by the wall. _

_I looked back at him. "Uncle Julius?" I knelt down beside the cage and peered in. Two beady eyes gleamed back at me, portraying the lifeless soul inside of it. I didn't know what kind of creature it was because it so deformed. It began whimpering again as it trembled. For a minute it sounded like it was pleading with me. Then the whimpering turned into whispers. My ears perked up once I heard my name from its' mouth._

_"K-uh…ah…Kah…Kal…"_

_My heart pounded in my chest as an uneasy feeling welled up inside my stomach, I thought I was going to be sick. I swallowed hard before turning to him again._

_"Uncle, this one knows my name. Why does it know my name?"_

_He was watching me with his elbows resting on the table behind him. His face darkened from the sudden dullness of the light. In a split second, the room changed, in a matter of seconds, cages had filled up every space and corner of the basement. Inside of them held the chimeras I heard screaming, roaring and moaning each night that caused my nightmares. The racket was unbearable. I shivered as the tears slid down my cheeks and wrapped my arms around my sides as the fear increased inside me. I covered my ears when I noticed him walking towards me. He grabbed my arm just as the chimera in the cage made a grab for my nightgown. It missed as he yanked me away, and its' long claws scratched my leg, causing me to cry out._

_"Kal…Kale!" It screamed._

_He forced me on top of the table and pinned me by my shoulders, he stared dangerously into my eyes. As hard as I struggled against his heavy weight, I didn't dare fight back. His dark eyes told me to lie still or pay the consequences._

_"Nothing personal, my niece." He seethed. "I ran out of options and it looks like you drew the short straw. I tried it once already and now that I have more materials this time, maybe I'll be able to succeed with you."_

_With that, he chained me down tightly on the table. I fought to cry out for help, anything at all, but all I could manage was a silent scream. My muscles froze when I tried struggling underneath the heavy chains. A red light erupted throughout the room just before my vision blackened. Then my stomach dropped like I was falling in mid-air, and with a jolt, I sat upright._

* * *

I laid on my stomach and stared into the darkness. Once my eyes adjusted, the first thing I saw was the nightstand by my bed. The room was dead silent when I saw the movement. Something furry and scraggly appeared just over the edge of the bedside. I watched as it formed pointy ears like on the top of an animal's head. It swayed back and forth in a floating motion, then the face appeared. Its eyes were red and glowed brightly in the darkness, and its nose was the size of a dot. Then its' lips parted, bearing rows of long, sharp and jagged teeth. It glared at me as I laid there, unmoving and watching it. Suddenly it growled and lunged at me with its jaw wide open.

I jumped to sit up and felt someone catch me in their arms. One arm was warm and made of flesh, and the was other cold, hard and metallic. A voice beside us spoke out, the tone was high and concerned. The chest I leaned against vibrated as the person spoke.

"I don't know. She won't stop shaking."

I looked around the room for the animal, but it was already gone. Instead, the familiarities of the Youswell hotel surrounded me and then I realized I was in the room with Ed and Al. All of it had been a dream.

Ed's fingers weaved their way through my hair. "Kale? Are you alright?"

My scalp tingled from the sensation as I reflected back on the visions of my dream. Why was I having those nightmares now? It had been years since I had them. At least long after I lived with Clyde and Marie. I buried my face into Ed's chest and I felt the tears well up behind my eyelids. I sniffled and Ed tightened his embrace around me. "It's okay." He said gently. "It was just a nightmare. You're fine."

"No," My throat felt raw when I spoke. "It was real, and I was there."

The room fell silent again as I glanced over at Al, who sat by the wall watching us. He lowered his head and sighed softly to himself. Ed loosened his grip and looked at me, his hands cupped around my elbows. He glanced over at Al and then back at me.

"Well, whatever happened, it's in the past. You don't have to worry anymore. You're with us now, and that's all that matters."

"That's right, Kale." Al said, "We're always here for you. Don't forget that."

I blinked at him because I was still pretty groggy, then I smiled feeling comforted by his words and looked up at Ed. The shyness came over me as Ed smiled warmly at me and rubbed my head. I turned to looked out the window, trying to find a distraction as the emotions made my stomach do a flip-flop.

"I think it's time we head back to bed," Ed said as he stood up and rolled his shoulders. "We have a long train ride back to Central."

"Yay." I groaned as I laid back down.

"What, I thought you loved them," Ed teased, "You were pretty excited on the way here."

"No, that's what happens when I have to sit still for several hours. I get bored and will do anything to keep myself amused." I placed my arm over my face. "It's quite terrible, actually."

Ed chuckled as crossed the room to his bed. "Then I'd hate to see how you are tomorrow."

I let out an annoyed moan. I knew he was teasing me, but I didn't want him to know how it effected me. My face flushed as I rolled over. If I looked through the window, I could see the moon shine on the rooftops of the houses and buildings. After a minute, I was too tired to even do that, so instead I closed my eyes as I heard Ed settle into bed.

"Good-night, Kale. He said, his voice sounded sleepy. "Sweet dreams. You too, Al."

"Good-night, Ed." Al and I responded.

A minute later I could hear his breathing grow steady: he fell asleep that fast. I continued to lay there, the moonlight spread across my bed from the window. My mind was already too full to sleep. I realized that these brothers seemed to take me in as family even though it hadn't yet been a whole month since we first met. It took me a year to warm up to Clyde and Marie, but the situations were different then, I suppose. I wondered if it was because the three of us had to work together, and we already succeeded with our first mission, which was a plus, I thought. However, I didn't tell them much about myself and they were completely open to me with themselves, especially when they told me how they became who they are, without much hesitation.

I switched onto my back and stared at the ceiling. I figured that the train ride back would be the perfect time to tell the boys my story, I only hoped I was prepared emotionally.

* * *

Ed groaned as he leaned over in his seat, his head resting in his hands. I watched him sitting next to me as I held my tongue, figuring this was no time for I-told-you-so's since what he was going through was punishment enough. Al sat across from us, watching his brother.

"Brother, are you going to be okay?" He asked.

"I don't know," Ed moaned, leaning against the window. "This headache is killing me."

"When did it start?" Al scooted a little closer to him.

"This morning, and it's not gonna let up soon either. It feels like someone's chopping my head up with an axe."

I glanced around the car. This time there were a few more people on board. They looked like they came from the same place because they dressed alike. Some of them had dirt smudged on their faces. I watched them curiously for a couple seconds before focusing my attention back to my friends.

Ed was now leaning against the window with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes squeezed tightly, his face showing the agony he was going through.

"Maybe sleep will help you feel better." Al suggested.

"Mmm." Ed responded.

I turned my body to face him. "Actually, Ed, can I try something?"

He peered at me under his eyelids. "Hmm?"

I moved closer to him and placed my hands on both sides of his head. Then with my thumbs, I gently began massaging his forehead. He watched me with a slight confused frown on his face.

"Uh, Kale? What are you doing?" He asked cautiously.

I smiled at him. "Marie used to give me forehead massages whenever I had nightmares when I first lived with her and Clyde. They helped me relax and sleep better at night. How's that feel?"

Ed looked like he would fall asleep on me. He blinked before answering. "It…is helping…somewhat."

Al chuckled. "You seem like you're enjoying it quite a bit, brother."

Ed frowned at him. "Hey, I don't ever recall you complaining about headaches."

"Oh come on," Al sighed, "You know that's not my fault."

I resisted the urge to smack Ed upside the head, instead I rolled my eyes and frowned at him. "Don't worry Al, I sure he does."

"Hey, of course I know! I was just saying he's lucky he doesn't feel pain at all."

"Right."

Ed didn't respond as he narrowed his eyes just before closing them. He went back to leaning against the window as I continued rubbing his forehead. Then, I rubbed his temples with my fingers. I watched his expression as he fully relaxed, I sucked in my lips to keep from laughing.

I stared out the window not noticing the landscape with the mountains against the horizon flying by. In my head, I worded the sentence I wanted to use for my story. Once I had it, I mentally prepared myself to actually tell them. I exhaled sharply through my nose, making Al look over to me.

"You look a little tired, Kale," He said, "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no Al, I'm fine." I smiled, then took a deep breath.

Al glanced down at his hands. "Um, I know its probably not my place to pry, but when you said when Marie helped you with your nightmares after living with them, when you did you start living with them? What happened to your real parents?"

_Well, now I don't have to try to drive myself up to tell them, _I thought. I shifted my eyes on him. "I was about eight years old. Since Marie's my cousin, she and Clyde are my guardians. My dad died a day before my seventh birthday, and my mom left me about a year after that. She didn't leave a note or anything else that said if she would ever be back or not. I remember waking up one morning and not seeing her around as I got ready for school. When I got home, she still wasn't there. It took me a week to realize she wasn't coming back." "That's awful." Al said sadly. "What did you do?"

I shrugged, still rubbing Ed's forehead, he was watching me now, his eyes not giving me any indication to what he was thinking. "What could I have done? I didn't have any other family living near me, and I didn't have many friends then that I could've turned to. The neighbors soon found out that I was living alone and they called the police on me. No big deal, really. They came in and interviewed me about my mom's whereabouts. I told them the same answer to each question they had: I don't know and I don't care.

"You didn't care about where your mother was? Weren't you afraid?" Al asked.

"My mom was not one of my favorite people in the world," I soon stopped massaging Ed's forehead, who didn't seem to mind at the moment as he gazed at me with a thoughtful frown on his face. "She didn't care for me. In fact, I think she hated me because I overheard her saying to my dad one night that I should never had been born. 'She is not my child.' I heard her say. At first, I thought she was making stuff up, even though I knew she was my mother. I've been told I'm the spitting image of her."

"Your mom didn't love you?" Al asked hesitantly.

My face darkened as the anger burned in my stomach, I squeezed my hands together in my lap. "If she did, she definitely did a very poor job of expressing it. I still have some scars from her whenever she did."

That made both boys gawk at me in alarm. "Your mom hurt you?!" Al exclaimed.

I regarded them, regretting my choice of words over one incident. Franticly I shook my head and said, "No, no, there was…just one incident where she pushed me out a window and I landed on a sharp stone that cut into my shoulder. The other times she ignored me and left me alone. Then she'd talk about me behind my back. Almost like she regretted me ever being alive.

"Although, there was one moment when she acted like she cared about me when dad died. She was like a decent mother at that time, but after pondering on it, I think she was only feeling guilty after what happened."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean she acted like a decent mother?"

"You know, hugging me and comforting me during the funeral." I twirled a strand of hair around my finger. "She did pay a little more attention to me afterwards, and she talked to me more. I thought for a while that things would finally patch up between us, until she left without a trace. I haven't seen her since."

"What about your dad?" Al asked. "Was he the only one who really paid attention to you?"

A warm smile spread across my face as the fond memories came back to me. "My dad and I were inseparable. He was a hard core runner and a track coach. When I reached the right age, he coached me when I joined his track team for elementary kids. He and I ran together quite often, and he'd share humorous horror stories of torn leg muscles and disgusting energy foods. He also looked out for me and took care of me. You'd think I was raised by a single parent. He was very kind to me. He made me feel safe and secure whenever I was around him."

Both boys regarded me in silence. Then, Ed spoke up as he sat up a little straighter. "So, you were a runner at a young age, huh? Do you still run on your own?"

"No," I said. "I gave that up quickly after my dad died. That was the one main thing he and I shared that was very special to me."

The brothers exchanged glances as a brief silence lingered over the three of us. At least they appeared to be understanding about the situation, I wasn't yet able to read the messages they shared with their eyes.

Al shifted in his seat, moving on to the next subject. "Did Marie find you then?"

My eyes narrowed. "Not yet. I call that time a very hard interim between my parents and living with Marie."

Ed blinked. "Interim? What happened?"

I let out a sigh, this was what I had to prepare myself for. "The police did find a family member who lived on the far side of the country. He was my dad's older brother and the only doctor in his town. He was also an alchemist. He helped quite a few people heal from their sicknesses until he got too curious with his studies. I don't really know when it began, actually. I was hearing them crying out in agony up to the first night I stayed with him."

Al leaned over a little in his seat, Ed's eyes widened. "Who was crying?

I sighed nervously again, then lifted my gaze up at both of them and said grimly, "His patients. The people he was taking care of and treating their diseases. I saw them one night in his basement, locked up in cages." I lowered my voice so that it was almost a whisper, the boys leaned in more to hear better. "They were combined either with each other or animals. You guys would know them better as chimeras."

Al gasped softly as Ed fought to keep his voice down exclaiming, "Why didn't you go for help if you knew what he was doing?"

"Because he came after me. He intended to use me in his meddling and almost got away with it, if the power to the town hadn't cut out. The entire basement was completely dark which made the chimeras scream in an uproar. I remember the noise they made and it made my ears ring, then my uncle left the room, probably to see what was going on. He left me strapped to that table and didn't return. I laid there for several hours, maybe close to a day in the dark of the basement, unable to escape from the heavy chains that bound me. Then, a light appeared at the doorway and in walked a police woman. She saw me and ran over to help me out. Once I was outside, I looked around and saw that the town was nearly destroyed. I was told by the police woman that some unknown terrorists had made a surprise attack, causing most of the citizens to flee. Some didn't make it out in time.

"The police woman asked me if I lived in that house and I told her that I no longer did. There was no sign of my uncle and I was grateful. She asked me if I had any other relatives around and I said that I didn't know. So, the search party began. The police read files and looked over records for me, and then, they found Marie. They contacted her and told her where I was. She and Clyde picked me up, took me to their home, and signed the guardian slips the following week. I've been with them ever since."

Ed glanced at Al again. "Wow…"

"I'm glad that everything is alright with you now, Kale. You've been through an awful lot." Al lowered his head. "I'm very sorry about your dad. Brother and I understand how much hurts to lose a loved one."

"Thanks." I said.

"You said unknown terrorists invaded the town you were in?" Ed asked, gazing at me thoughtfully. "Was there anything else you heard from the police about them?"

I shook my head. "I wasn't told any other information and I think I blocked some of that out, too."

"Sounds suspicious. I wonder if Mustang knows anything about it."

I shrugged. "I guess we can ask him once we get back."

Ed turned his head to look out the window. "I'm planning on it." He let out a loud sigh and put his arms behind his head, closing his eyes. "There's nothing like a long story to cure a monster of a headache."


	15. Chapter 14

"Well, it seems as if the two of you have accomplished good in ways more than one." Colonel Mustang smiled as he read our reviews. "However, I didn't ask you to strip Lieutenant Yoki of his position."

I clasped my hands on my lap, feeling the heat rise on my neck as I tried to come up with an explanation "Well, yeah…uh-"

"You would have done the same if you were there, Colonel." Edward frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "The way he treated those people was inconsiderate. I'm not sure how he got hired in the first place."

I glanced uneasily at my partner before checking Mustang's reaction, who still had not looked up from our reviews. His dark eyes scanned over the papers once more with a blank expression.

"Fortunately, that's not your problem to worry about. That gives the higher ups information on who is doing their job and how. I have to admit though, I didn't think you would be able to succeed on your first mission."

"You doubted us, Colonel?" Edward's eyebrows raised.

"It's not every day a couple of kids join the military. Some of the older soldiers even fail on their first mission." The Colonel set the reviews down and then rested his elbows on the desk.

I relaxed in my seat a little. I knew this man had a way of being blunt before he praised those who followed him. I watched him, and waited patiently for the whole story. Beside me, Edward exhaled softly and crossed his legs as his head tilted back. We sat there in silence for a short while, and then the Colonel continued.

"It's too early to be saying this, but from way things are progressing, I think a lot of good can come from you two. I knew from the start you both would make a good pair, that's why I put you together"

My eyes widened. "You signed us together?"

"Yes, I did." The Colonel replied as he smiled pleasantly.

"I thought the Furher was in charge of that."

"He is. I merely…pointed you out to him. I lead him to the idea."

Edward and I exchanged glances. The Colonel seemed to be behind everything, and I wondered if there was a deeper reason underneath it all. So, Edward and I were good on our first mission, was that really promising anything? Or was the Colonel up to something else?

"You both are dismissed. I have some things I need to get done before the ball this weekend." He bent his head down to the small stack of papers on his desk and picked up a pen that rested near his hand.

"Ball?" I blinked at him.

"Yes, every year those involved in the military get together for the Annual Ball. The members come dressed up to…social with each other. The ladies come with escorts and the turnout is quite impressive. I assume you two are going?" He raised his eyes in our direction.

Ed wrinkled his nose as he scowled. "You know what happens when you assume things, Colonel."

Mustang smirked as he sneaked a glance at me. "Ouch, Ed. Does that mean you're turning down your partner here? How cruel."

"What?!" Ed and I exclaimed.

"Why not? Kale can't go with another man from the military who she doesn't know. They're at least six years older than her. It wouldn't be fair. Besides, this will be a great way to get to know each other more since you work together. I think you can handle being in a tux for one night, Ed."

Ed looked like he was going to say something else, but then decided against it and sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest again. It was the first time I remembered seeing him back down from an argument. I turned my head to hide my smile from him, telling myself to compliment him on that one soon.

"You and a driver will be picking Kale up from her cousin's house. And now you two may leave." Mustang said, waving his hand at us. "Kale, I called Clyde a short while ago saying you've arrived in Central and will be able to return home."

My head snapped back to Mustang once I heard that. "Clyde? You know Clyde?"

"Of course I do," Mustang said. "He and I go way back. We were childhood friends and nothing kept us apart."

_I lowered my gaze to the floor as my mind wrapped around that one. __So, Clyde has connections with people in the military. Great. That means both sides are going to get first-hands on information on anything and everything about me. Oh, crap._ My chair slid back a little as I slouched and groaned softly to myself. Ed watched me with an amused expression on his face.

"Guess that means you won't be able to get away with very much." He snickered.

"Meh." I grunted, rolling my eyes.

"Alright, seriously the two of you need to leave or I'm tossing you out personally." Mustang raised his voice and pointed to the door.

"Yes, sir" I said, standing up to head out of the office. Before I reached the door, Ed broke the silence.

"One more thing, Colonel." He glanced at me, and then back at Mustang as he continued. "About three years ago, a town was invaded and attacked by a group of unknown terrorists and disappeared without any evidence. I know it's rather late to bring this up, but I was wondering if you knew about this."

The Colonel watched him as he spoke. His eyes were unreadable once he sat back in his chair and sighed.

"Three years ago, I was barely a major here at H.Q. However, I did hear about the incident, but I cannot give you any more information than what you may already know. The military kept that hidden from the public and to those who served on a lower rank below them. How did you hear about it?"

Ed hesitated before he answered, and for a minute I thought he was going sell me out. I kept my eyes on his blond head as he stood there waiting.

"A friend."

Mustang raised an eyebrow. "Really? Is that all you're going to tell me? Do you know the name of the town, then?"

"Parma." I piped in, unaware of my own boldness. "The village's name was Parma."

Ed and the Colonel turned their heads at me. Ed waited as he watched me, as if he thought I was going to go on with more details, and for a silent moment, I thought I was too. Although, there was quite a bit of awkwardness settling in. I was at a loss for words. I cleared my throat and focused on the curtains gently swaying in the breeze from the open window behind Mustang.

"Parma." He said thoughtfully, clasping his hands on his desk. "Come to think of it, that name does sound familiar, but it then again…I'm not sure if we're talking about the same town."

Ed grimaced. "What do you mean? These guys attacked more than one town?"

Before Mustang could answer, there came a knock at the door. Then, it opened and Lieutenant Hawkeye entered the room.

"Sorry for interrupting, sir, but these papers are in need for your approval." She said quietly, a small stack of papers was nestled in her arms. Her eyes fixated on Mustang before they scanned around the room before resting on Ed and I.

"Alright, I'll take a look at those." Mustang said wearily, "Thank you, Fullmetal and Lightning."

Ed and I glanced at each other once more as we turned to head out the door. Lieutenant Hawkeye acknowledged us with a nod and a small smile of greeting. I responded walking by with a grin and a wave of my fingers. The door slowly closed as I heard Hawkeye and Mustang softly murmuring to each other. I closed my tired eyes and sighed, leaning against the opposite wall.

"Say, Kale?" Ed voice broke through the slight darkness behind my eyelids. I opened one eye and glanced at him.

"Hmm?"

His head was slightly bent as he gazed at the wooden floor. "Do you think you'll be able to…" He trailed off, like he was uncertain how to go on.

I waited a few seconds for him to say something else and when he didn't, I tried asking him, "What it is?"

He slowly raised his golden eyes at me. I felt them pierce into my heart as I caught my breath. He then shifted his weight on one foot.

"It's nothing." He said calmly. "Never mind."

I was about to ask him again when I saw Al coming around the corner. He saw us and slowly approached us. His footsteps were light and he moved in a way so he wouldn't sway too much, and the way he was hunched over was pretty comical. Ed noticed this too and frowned curiously at his brother.

"Al, is there a reason you're walking like that?" He asked.

"Uh…yes!" Al exclaimed. "My joints are loosening and it's causing them to rattle loudly. I didn't want to disturb anyone in the offices, so I'm trying to be quiet."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Your joints are loosening, huh? That's weird. Why don't you let me take care of that?" He stalked over to Al and quickly opened his chest plate before Al had a chance to get away. From inside the hollow armor, I heard a soft meow. I peered around Ed's shoulders and saw a small, furry face with big green eyes poke out through the opening. My heart melted at the sight of the small kitten.

"Aw, it's a kitty."

"Al." Ed sighed and lowered his head.

"I couldn't help it, Brother!" Al said. "He was all by himself behind the mess hall in a dumpster!"

I raised my head with my eyes wide in shock. "You found him in a dumpster?"

Ed put his hands on his hips. "I'm sure he was just in there looking for food."

"You don't know that," Al said, taking the kitten in his hands, who didn't seem to mind how large and cold they were. "This was a large dumpster, Ed. It was too tall for him to climb in on his own. I don't think he was scrounging around for food."

Ed shook his head and sighed again. "Al, you know better. We can't keep it."

"But look how skinny he is. He's half starved! Please, brother?" Al pleaded.

"If you're that concerned for the kitten then give it to Kale. She's got something we don't have, like a home."

I glanced at my partner in surprise at his suggestion. Al looked at me, considering the idea, but unsure how to ask me. He then looked down at the small orange tabby kitten, who seemed to be perfectly relaxed in Al's massive hands as his sleepy eyes slowly began to close. I stared at him, thinking about my options. I wouldn't mind keeping the kitten, for Al's sake at least. Clyde and Marie had talked about getting pet sometime in the future. I was sure they wouldn't mind either.

I smiled reassuringly at Al. "Don't worry, Al." I said. "I would love to take him for you."

Al brightened. "Really, you will? Thanks a lot, Kale." He handed the kitten to me, who softly stirred during the exchange as he relaxed in my hands. I felt a warm smile grow on my face.

"Problem solved?" Ed glanced between Al and I.

"I suppose." I smiled contently, stroking the kitten's head softly.

Ed nodded. "The two of you look good together. Now, let's move on." He turned and headed down the hallway. I watched him for a minute, wondering why he was acting so distant. I followed him with Al right behind me, who nudged me in the elbow.

"What are you gonna name him?" He asked.

"I don't know," I looked down at the sleeping kitten. "Maybe it'll come to me later. First of all, I'm going to get this little fella something to eat."

The three of us exited the building and into the warm sunlight. A breeze blew over the courtyard, ruffling the trees displayed by the front gates, and suddenly there was a flash, something glinted just beyond them that caught my eye. I squinted at the glare until it formed into the shape of a car. A very familiar car. I recognized the tall blond in the driver's seat.

"Oh, that was quick." I said. "Clyde's here, so I'll see you guys later. What are your plans for the rest of the day?"

Ed shrugged. "The library. I'm going to look up some more research."

"Don't strain yourself." I smiled.

Ed smirked musingly. "Yeah, right."

I turned to head toward Clyde's car, then I heard Al murmur to his brother teasingly. "You shouldn't lock yourself up in the library for too long. You'll have to get a tux sometime, right?"

I grinned upon hearing Ed's growling.

* * *

It was a few hours before the military ball, and during the last twenty-four hours since I left headquarters, I was not looking forward to it. Not that I highly disliked being stuck in a dress that would not allow me to breathe, or the fact I have never been to a formal gathering in the first place. Even the thought of Edward escorting me was the least of my worries. No, there was something nagging me from the pit of my stomach. I felt suspicious about the outcome of all those people in the military gathered in one place.

_I'm just being paranoid, _I told myself, _I have every right to be thinking this way because I'm nervous._

Settling with that, I lowered myself deeper into the warm bath water, the small mounds of bubbles obstructed the side view of the bathroom. I had decided a bath would ease my nerves better. My kitten, whom I named Rusty, because the orange in his fur reminded me of the fresh rust now on the metal door to the shed behind the gardens, was playing and batting with a piece of tissue I gave him so he wouldn't get into anything else.

I smiled to myself, feeling the muscles in my back relax from the warm water. Picking up a cup near the edge of the tub, I dipped it in the water and poured it on my shoulders rinsing the off the soap, then suddenly froze in shock, hearing a small noise on the floor. I looked where Rusty was and saw him sitting in front of the door with his short tail flapping back and forth on the floor. He lifted a small paw and scratched on the door. I knew what he wanted. I jumped out of the tub, wrapped a towel around me, lifted him into my hands, and ran out of the bathroom to the back door in the kitchen where Marie was cooking supper. She laughed when she saw me as I ran to the door and placed the kitten on the first step of the porch and shut the door, watching him as he walked over to the hedge with his tail straight up.

* * *

Edward arrived about an hour later, and after seeing his reaction to seeing me in a teal colored dress, my long hair high in an elegant bun, I felt even more self-conscious. For a minute he looked as if he didn't recognize me. I could have been some other girl coming down the stairs to greet him at the door. I smirked watching him standing there with his agape.

"Don't worry, Ed, it's me." I said.

Ed shook his head, catching himself. "Yeah, I know that."

I came closer to him, feeling the heat rise from my neck to my face, taking in the sight of my partner in a tuxedo and blue tie. Then, Clyde came around the corner from the living room.

"Well, don't you two look marvelous?" He grinned impishly at us.

"Marvelous? Really?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

He took my hand and spun me around in a circle. "What, you don't believe me? We've lived together how long and you don't trust me enough to tell you the truth?" I smiled playfully, shaking my head.

"You look lovely, Kale." Marie said as she came into the foyer.

I glanced down at myself. "I don't look stupid?"

"Of course not." Ed said gently. "You look very nice." I turned my head toward him in surprise. He continued to stand there with his hands in his pockets, gazing at me with his golden orbs. He looked like he would go on, but then changed his mind.

"Aren't you her date? I think it would be insulting to her if you didn't at least compliment her." Clyde nudged Ed and grinned evilly.

Ed's face turned red. "I'm not her date, I'm her escort!"

Clyde put a hand up. "Hey, I'm just calling it like I see it."

Marie laughed and came around her husband, putting her arm around his waist. "Alright, Clyde, you embarrassed them long enough. They need to get going or else they'll be late."

I smiled at Ed, and he smiled back. He cleared his throat and offered his arm. I took it in mine, and we walked out the door, and descended down the porch steps to the car where the driver was waiting for us.

"Hey, Ed! If she's not back before eleven, I'll know why!" Clyde called out. Ed's face reddened again and made to turn around. I smiled and stopped him with my arm as we came up to the car.

* * *

We entered the hall together and I found myself staring in awe at the couples in their finest dress. I began to feel diminutive by being in the same room. I spotted Mustang and Riza off to the side.

"Um, should we get something to drink while we're here?" Ed asked me.

"Yeah," I nodded, agreeing quickly. "Okay."

The two of us walked side by side over to the table where the drinks and finger foods were. As we dodged the dancing couples around us, I noticed Mustang walking towards us with Riza's hand around his arm. When Ed and I reached the refreshment table, I found myself staring at the food instead of taking it. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Ed stiffening as Mustang approached us. I felt a warm hand placed on my shoulder.

"I'm glad you both made it. Now, shouldn't you be dancing?" Mustang asked, inquiring Ed and I.

I turned to face him. "You can't rush these things you know."

"Come on, Lightning. I thought you were too old to think the opposite gender has cooties." Mustang grinned mischievously. I opened my mouth to say something, but he turned and walked away at the last second. It was at that moment, Ed and I locked eyes. I began to blush profoundly as something warm slipped into my hand. I looked down at Ed's gloved fingers tangled in mine.

"Let's go," He said, grinning a little as his own blush spread across his face. "The torture will be over soon."

I chuckled a little as he lead me out to the dance floor. The music changed and a slow, steady song began to play. At first, I was unsure what to do, but then Ed carefully wrapped his arms around my waist, and I put my arms around his shoulders. I surprised myself at how well I could succumb to this. Dancing with Edward was…easy, and in another word, comfortable. Very comfortable. It also felt so right in a way. I slowly leaned my head on Ed's shoulder and I felt his body tremble he as spoke.

"This is…pretty nice, isn't it?" He asked softly. I merely responded with a soft humming noise from within my throat.

We danced together until the song ended, and then another started; this one was faster and more upbeat. Ed and I froze as we watched the other couples start moving in a fashion in which we couldn't keep up. After getting bumped from behind a couple times, I grabbed Ed's hand and we made our way off the dance floor. I found a room secluded in a corner with tables and chairs inside. Ed and I watched the dancers from the door as they stepped, swayed, kicked and spun with complex movements as they kept up with the music.

I glanced over at Ed. "Yeah, right."

He scowled. "That Colonel has another thing coming for getting us into this."

I took his hand again. "Never mind that, we can make up our own moves." Ed gave me a confusing expression, however he did not protest as we spun around the room in our own rhythm. Pretty soon, we were cracking up at each other's improvising. Once the song ended, we both bent over with our hands resting on our knees, trying to catch our breath. We looked up at one another and started laughing again.

"Mr. Elric, you dance divinely." I said playfully.

"You're not too bad yourself." He grinned, showing off his teeth.

I gave a small laugh again, then cleared my throat as I placed my hands on my warm face to cool down.

"Are you thirsty?" Ed asked me.

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, I'll get us a couple of drinks. I'll be back." With that, he left the room and into the large hall.

I looked to my left and saw a glass door leading outside. Thinking it would be a good idea to get some air, I stepped out. I welcomed the cool night air and almost immediately felt the moisture. In front of me was a garden hedge. I couldn't see anything beyond that, so I assumed the path behind it led to the military gardens. I thought about going in and taking a look around, but then Ed would have a hard time finding me. A shiver ran up my spine as the breeze picked up, then I noticed a bush shuffling on my right.

I glanced at it, thinking it was caused by the wind, but instead a saw a form behind it. I noticed it just as it leaped in the air and landed on the roof of the building. There I could get a better look at it. It was a man, probably over six feet in height. His features were indistinguishable in the dark, but from his outline, I could tell he was very muscular. He must have sensed my presence because he suddenly turned and looked straight at me. I stood there, not moving, and stared back at him. His face was half lit by the moonlight as I made out his left eye and a part of his mouth. Then he grinned at me. His teeth shone brightly in the night, almost seeming to glow. Just then, I heard Ed calling me from inside.

I looked inside the room, seeing him coming toward me with two glasses of punch in his hands.

"What are you doing out there?" He asked, setting the glasses on a table near him. He came outside next to me. "What is it?"

I glanced back up to the roof again, but the man was gone. For a second everything was quiet, before an explosion from behind us shook the ground at our feet. We both stumbled, and then once we regained ourselves, we turned around in time to see a mushroom cloud of smoke and fire erupt against the black night sky. Sirens and alarms suddenly went off in the distance, drowning out the music from inside the hall.

* * *

**My apologies about the two month absense. I've been busy with classes and play rehersals. Plus, I had back pains which kept me on my bed for a whole week. It took me nearly a month to recover, but I'm better now! Yay! My delaies won't be this long ever again, I promise. :) Thanks for staying faithful!**


	16. Chapter 15

Everything happened at once and fell into place on their own, but not the way I expected. Just seconds after the explosion, the power went out with Edward and I left standing outside in the darkness. The only sounds were the sirens screaming in the night, and the anxious chatter inside. I thought chaos would erupt at any moment, but after a short while the hall was once more bathed in light. Ed and I squinted from the sudden brightness as we peered inside. Some people had come to the windows, their eyes wide with shock, watching the flames rise high in the air.

After taking a few deep breaths, I rubbed my arms suddenly feeling the chill in the night air.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

Ed answered over his shoulder as he hustled inside. "I don't know, but I'm not waiting around for an answer."

I hurried in after him, stumbling on my high heeled shoes which were now pinching my feet, and tried keeping my eyes on my blonde friend who was now amongst the crowd of people. It wasn't long before I lost sight of him. There were so many people, so much to navigate, and for some reason I began to panic. Heading to an open space on the side of the room was the only option, so I went for it and leaned against the wall.

"Those were sirens, that must mean someone was hurt." A concerned woman near me said,

"I don't think so," A man near her replied, "It was in the run-down area of the city. It could've been the abandoned hospital they were planning on demolishing, but that's not scheduled until next week."

My eyes scanned around the room, and then I found Edward near the front talking with Mustang. Judging by his discouraged expression, Edward was not getting much out of the Colonel, who responded with the same look, meaning he did not know any more about the scenario than we did. I headed toward them when suddenly someone grabbed my arm, yanking me to a stop.

"Where are you off to in a hurry?" A red-haired woman demanded, her fingernails dug into my arm through her gloved hands.

"I…was going to talk to Mustang" I replied warily, wincing a little under her sharp grip.

The woman's blue eyes flashed as she opened her mouth to say something else, and then someone called out. She turned her head in the direction of the call and reluctantly released my arm. I turned away from her as quickly as possible and headed toward Edward and Mustang. I looked down and saw the small red marks made by the woman's fingernails on my skin.

"Dang." I muttered, rubbing my arm.

"Did anything look suspicious just before the explosion?" Mustang was asking when I approached.

Ed shook his head. "I didn't see anything, really. I was hardly out the door before it happened."

The image of the man on the roof appeared in my head. "I did see someone out there." I said, Ed and Mustang turned their attention on me. "He was on top of the roof when I noticed him."

Mustang frowned. "What did he look like?" he asked.

Blinking, I realized I didn't have a face to the man. All I knew was that he was out there, but then again was he actually the one who caused the explosion? Feeling useless, I lowered my head in shame. "I don't know," I said, "I couldn't see his face."

A pregnant silence followed before Mustang spoke up. "Where did you see him after that?"

"I didn't." I said quietly and glanced up at him. "He was gone by then."

Mustang walked forward and stopped beside me. "Show me where you saw him."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, then turned heading for the room Ed and I were in before. It was unexpected the Colonel would believe me at all. Usually adults would brush kids away thinking they were making up stories to get attention. The Colonel was acting so rational now.

A self-conscious feeling came over as I walked through the little banquet room and out the door, with Ed and Mustang behind me. I turned around and pointed up at the roof.

"From up there?" Mustang asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." I answered somewhat impatiently.

He stared up at the rooftop again. His eyes narrowed as he studied it. "Kale, that roof is at least fifteen feet over our heads, it's practically impossible for any human being to jump that high so quickly." he said.

"I saw him up there, honestly!" I said.

"Maybe it wasn't human." Ed crossed his arms as he gazed up at the roof. "You said you couldn't see his face, so maybe it was distorted in some way by animal features."

"You mean like a chimera?" I asked.

"It's possible." Ed softly nodded.

Mustang walked over to the bush directly under the place where I saw the stranger. He brushed the branches aside, peering at the wall behind it. Then he walked over to the other side and did the same, only more vigorously by shoving the branches and getting on his knees. The bush groaned a little from the force. He stood up and the bush shook back into place, he walked over to us.

"If it was possible for him to jump from there, by the time you spotted him he would have had his back facing you, am I right?"

"Yeah, he did." I said.

"Meaning," Mustang walked passed us toward the gardens. "He would have come from inside the gardens."

Then, without another word, he proceeded into the gardens, his footsteps growing distant as he went farther in. Ed and I glanced at each other before rushing in after him. Instantly, the walls narrowed as the two of us went deeper inside the maze, which were hedges perfectly groomed and over six feet in height. After a short while, Mustang appeared around a corner walking slowly and gazing at the walls. When we caught up with him, he turned to us and put a finger to his lips. He then knelt down to the ground and Ed and I did the same. After a couple seconds of nothing but the breeze rustling the leaves on the hedge, I heard it.

A soft whisper came from the other side. Inaudible words were carried by the wind, the only word I recognized was "Keegan".

"I've done this longer than you have, alright? I know what I'm doing." Came the answer; somewhat harsher but it was still a whisper.

"You may have, but you do get careless once things become routine." This whisper was slightly higher pitched, probably female.

"I checked, nobody followed me." The previous voice retorted. "Besides, there are enough detractions going on. I'm sure nobody cares."

"Well, Neal isn't back yet, so we still need to lay low." A third voice whispered Ed shifted his foot out from underneath him, crouching on all fours. I parted my lips to breathe through my mouth. It was quiet again for a couple seconds, then one of the voices whispered again.

"You know the girl who Julius talks about? I saw her tonight."

My breath caught in my throat and my muscles clenched upon hearing my uncle's name. What did this mean? _He's alive? What does he have to do with these people, whoever they are?_ I thought. This also meant this stranger was the one on the roof and was amongst the three people here. My body began to shiver.

"How do you know it was her?" A voiced whispered.

"I saw a picture of her in the newspaper in his room. She's a State Alchemist now." The first voice answered.

I felt Ed's eyes on my head as I knelt on the ground, trying to control my shivering. Mustang slowly crawled away from us and turned down a corner nearby.

"What does that have to do with us?" Another voice whispered.

A soft chuckle sounded before the first person spoke again saying, "You should hear him in his sleep. He talks to her, like he's calling to her. It's the freaking creepiest thing in the world."

"I thought he didn't give a rat's rear end about her."

"He doesn't, but he wants to keep tabs on her. He says she can't be replaced."

"I heard him one night, too." The female of the group piped in. "He said he planted or created something in her. I didn't hear anything else."

"It could be just the medication in him. He acts unlike himself when it takes effect."

"Nah, he was crazy to begin with."

"Hey." It was a very short and quiet exclamation, and then the wind picked up at full speed, causing the leaves on the hedge to rustle even louder. Once the wind died down, everything was completely silent, other than Ed's raspy breathing beside me. Both of us stayed crouched low to the ground staring at the wall in front of us for what felt like several minutes, although it may have been only a minute. Then, there was the sound of fingers snapping, and a soft orange glow shone above the top of the hedge.

"What is that Colonel doing?" Ed hissed through his teeth.

I stood up and rounded the corner of the junction, only to find Mustang standing on the other side, blocking the pathway. I could not see around him to figure out what was happening.

"Colonel, what's going on?" A crick formed in my neck as I stared up at him.

Mustang didn't answer right away. He walked around me without so much as a glance back. Ed scowled at him as he passed by.

"There's nothing more to see here." he said, "Move on."

I barely had a chance to open my mouth when the orange glow over the hedge died out. Exhaling through my nose, I silently followed Mustang out of the maze of the gardens, with Ed right behind me and mumbling the whole way.

When we reached the hall again, Mustang turned to us and said, "Don't expect to sleep in tomorrow. I want the both of you back here by nine a.m. sharp and ready to move on."

I slowly nodded at him. Ed did the same, and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I'll be off to aid the police with their work." He continued without much emotion, "Lieutenant Havoc will be taking you home, Lightning."

"Home?" I blinked at him, confused.

"Time flies when you're having fun." Havoc said, walking towards us from under a lamppost and fingering a cigarette in his hand as he walked over to us.

"I wouldn't exactly call this night the time of my life." Ed groaned as I glanced at the clock tower behind Central's main headquarters. Sure enough, it was after ten. If I was going to be home by the time Clyde and Marie wanted me to be, I had to leave at that moment.

"Are you sure you want to gripe about that with your date standing in hearing range?" Havoc asked, smirking a little.

"That's not what I was talking about!" Ed glared at him. "And she's not my date, I was just escorting her."

"Call it whatever you want." Havoc shrugged, putting the cigarette in his mouth. "I'm not judging anyone."

"Well, anyway, if Kale's going home I have no reason to hang around here. Al's waiting for me back where we're staying." Ed scratched the back of his neck, the breeze picked up again, playing with his golden bangs. Seeing that, something jumped inside my stomach, making me feel slightly queasy. Although, the feeling was far from unpleasant.

"Tell him I said hi, okay?" I said, ignoring the small shaking in my voice.

Ed brought his gaze up to me, and then nodded softly, grinning a little. "Yeah, I will."

Havoc nodded his head toward a car sitting by the curb. "Ready to head out?"

"Sure." I replied and followed Havoc. I turned my head to see Ed walking away with his hands still in his pockets. His eyes cast down to his feet and were defined by the bags underneath them. He looked unhappy, but then again he was probably just tired.

"See you in the morning, Ed!" I called out and waved at him.

For a second, his face expressed disgust, as if thinking, "Geez, thanks for remembering." then he put on a smile and waved back.

"Bye, Kale." He said.

The ride back was silent for the first five minutes, when I heaved a heavy sigh. My mind was miles away, reflecting back on the events of the night. What scared me the most was Julius. I had no knowledge as to whether he was dead or not. Still, during the past four years I kept my thoughts far away from him. According to those three strangers, he was not roaming around, and from the sounds of it he was a lot worse than the last time I saw him. _To think I thought he was sick then, _I thought.

"Not how you expected the night to end, huh?" Havoc commented from the front.

I smirked musingly. "On so many levels, yes."

He chuckled. "It could have been worse. Besides, there's always next year."

"How could it have been worse?" I asked.

"The ballroom could have blown up instead." He replied.

I didn't say anything after that. Instead, I gazed out the window, watching the houses grow farther and farther apart. Some of their windows held the warm glow of a lamp, causing them to resemble eyes. I watched them as we passed on until they grew small in the distance. I looked back up at Havoc in the front seat.

"I'm sure chaperoning a twelve-year-old home isn't your ideal way of spending a night after a ball." I said.

"I'm just following orders." He said. "There aren't a lot of women in the military. They're busy enough with what the military hands them, so they barely have time to sit down. Besides, most of them had dates, and the ones who didn't usually ignore me."

"Oh." I chuckled, feeling bad for him.

"It's not a big deal." He continued as he emptied the cigarette on an ashtray next to him and reached for another one from the pack in his front pocket. I wondered how he would light it while he was driving until he turned his head with it already lit and hanging from his mouth.

I leaned over to undo the buckles of my high heeled shoes. Sighing with relief, I slid them off and propped my feet up on the seat next to me. As worn out as I was, my mind went back to those three people talking about Julius. It scared me. How was anyone to know when these people were going to strike again, and what are they after?

Moaning softly, I crossed my arms and rested my head on the back of the seat. My intetnion was not to fall asleep, but to rest my eyes for a little while. However, the next thing I knew I was sliding forward for some reason. I opened my eyes to see that Havoc had stopped the car in front of my house.

"Fast ride." My voice cracked from the lack of use.

Havoc chuckled. "Welcome home." He said as I picked up my shoes from the car floor.

I grinned sleepily at him and ducked out of the car. "Thanks for the ride, Lietenuant." I said and closed the door behind me.

Carrying my shoes in my hand, I walked up the drive-way and stood barefoot in the cool grass. The light from headlights of the car faded as Havoc backed out of the drive way and drove off in the night. Now the only light was from the porch light, the window of Clyde and Marie's room, where I imagined Marie was lying on her bed reading a thick novel, and the light from the kitchen where Clyde was maybe making the finished touches on his latest art project.

The scene would have been as cozy as it looked, however the thought of being back in Central early the next morning made me wrinkle my nose. One last shiver crawled up my spine and I headed for the front door and walked in where Rusty was there to greet me. His tail shot straight up in the air as if to say, "Hi! I'm so happy you're home."

"Hello, Rusty." I smiled down at him and placed my shoes by the door. Picking up the small kitten in my arms, I walked through the living room to the kitchen where Clyde was. He was standing by the sink with a large glass tank sitting on the counter and was filling it up with water from the sprayer.

"Hi, I'm home." I said.

He looked up as I spoke. "Oh hey, Kale. How was the dance that friend of yours?" He gave a small mischievous grin.

I paused trying to come up with a way to describe it. When I couldn't I thought the best word I went with, "Eventful."

"Heh, would you like to tell me about it? Or are you too tired from your eventful night?"

I watched him as he dumped the water from the tank back into the sink again. "What is that for?"

Clyde smiled again. "Um…this is for my new unit I'm working on."

I continued to watch him, waiting for a better answer as I scratched Rusty behind his ears. The kitten titled his head back and purred loudly from the sensation.

Clyde looked over at me again as he carefully set the empty tank on the counter again. "I got this from a friend in my art phrensics class. He had a fish once, but it only lived for two days. Besides, he got this tank from a friend that already claimed five fish."

"So, since it can't house fish any longer, you're using it for something more significant?" I asked.

Clyde nodded. "More useful, yes." He wiped the inside with a rag. "You want to hear more about it? Or are you heading off to bed?"

I twisted my mouth considering my options. It had been a while since Clyde and I had a nice conversation about his friends and his latest art works and mishaps. Staying up a little later to listen to him won't hurt getting up early in the morning to head back to Central.

"I'll get changed, and we can talk for ten minutes." I said.

"Alright." He chuckled again and nodded before he set the wet rag in the sink.

After getting changed into my comfortable pajamas, and saying good-night to Marie, I headed back to the kitchen with Clyde. As tired as I was, I wanted something more sobering to settle down. Who knew what other fiascos the military would throw my way. So, in the end, I wanted to spend as much time as possible with the only family I had left.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn't long before I found them. Once I rounded the corner in Central's Headquarters, Al was standing next to his brother in front of Mustang's office. By the sound of their tone, the brothers seemed to be deep in conversation. Not wanting to disrupt them, I approached them quietly and cautiously. Although Al did notice me and stood up straighter.

"Hi, Kale!" He exclaimed happily. Ed spun around at that and his eyes widened in surprise.

I smiled up at the armored boy. "Hello, Al, how are you?"

"Very well." He replied with a sense of a smile in his tone.

Just then, the door to Mustang's office opened and Second Lietenuant Hawkeye appeared.

"Fullmetal, Lightning, the Colonel will see you now." She stated calmly, her eyes studied both of us before stepping aside to let us in.

"Thank you." I said to her, before heading inside with Ed following me.

Roy looked up from the papers on his desk, and then gestured to two chairs in front of him. Ed and I sat down silently and waited. Roy showed an expression I was unable to read. It was somewhere between disgust and sorrowful. He paused for a few seconds before he spoke.

"This next mission for the both of you won't be as easy as the first one." He said and handed us the papers from his desk. I took them in my hand and looked over them. It stated five girls had gone missing from a town east of Central. The pictures of the girls in the descripton showed that they had red hair, all but the fifth, who had somewhat strawberry-blond hair. They were really young, the second red-head was no more than six-years-old.

"Why would this be hard?" I asked.

"These girls were abducted from their homes all within five months of each other. There is no evidense found yet as to what happened exactly or who is behind this. So, your job is to scope out the town, see what you can find as long as may take."

"As long as it may take? How long will this mission be exactly?" Ed looked up from his paper and demanded.

"In other words, we don't know what we'll find out there. So, you two are to figure out how to get those girls home before any more dissapear." Roy stated.

"So, we're to head out as soon as possible." I said, standing up and placed the paper in my coat pocket.

"I have the tickets for your train right here." Roy said and held out the slips of paper.

"You're really on top of things, Colonel." Ed said as he took the tickets.

"The trains are going to be crowded since the holidays are nearly here." Mustang replied, arching an eyebrow. "You two are dismissed."

However, I continued to stand there, watching the Colonel as he wrote something down and started to pick up the phone when he sensed my gaze and looked up.

"What is it, Ms. Jenson?" He asked.

_He won't tell me what he did that night. I remember the look he gave me, _I thought. I shook my head and said, "It's nothing, Colonel. Ed and I will be leaving now."

With that, I followed Ed out the door and closed it behind me. A short while later, the two of us, along with Al, boarded the train to head east. As we pulled out of the station I took out the from and studied them again.

_It's funny how all these girls have red hair except for the last one._ _Maybe whoever is abducting them is only after red-heads. Do they have the same color eyes? _I narrowed my eyes to peer at the pictures more closely._ Yes, they do. All the red-heads have blue eyes, except the last one has hazel colored eyes. _I glanced out the window at the passing fields. _What is the significance of that?_

A voice interrupted my thoughts as I left off that question and slowly came back to reality.

"Something wrong, Kale?" Al asked. "You were looking at those pictures rather inently."

I shrugged. "I'm trying to make sense of this, really. Do you think we have a pattern here?"

"It is funny that they have the same hair color." Ed agreed.

"Except the last one." Al commented. "Why is she different from the others?"

"That's what we're going to find out." I replied, sitting back in my seat and crossing my arms.


	17. Chapter 16

I scowled with my suitcase in hand at the luggage shelf which was a foot over my head. Blaming the modelers of the train was not going to help in this situation. Instead, I placed both hands on the sides of my suitcase, carefully lifted it over my head, closed my eyes and jumped as high as I could. The sound of my suitcase slamming on the shelf made me smile. I stood on my tip-toes and pushed it back farther against the wall with my fingertips just as Ed and Al came into the cabin.

"I heard this is going to be a two day trip for us." Ed sighed.

I wrinkled my nose. "Really?" One day was enough to keep me occupied, but two? There was not very much to the train as far as sitting in cabins the whole ride.

"Yep," Ed grumbled, "This is what we get for joining the military. We're stuck with crazy missions. Who knows how long they'll last." He put one foot on the seat, hoisted himself up and placed his suitcase on the shelf next to mine before sitting down next to me.

_Why didn't I think of that? _I asked myself. I was unaware of the perplexed look I gave him until caught me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" His brow furrowed, a small smile was also playing on his lips.

I almost opened my mouth to say something, then shook my head realizing I had a stupid answer. "Never mind." I replied as I glanced out the window.

"I think you two will be doing a lot of good this way." Al sat down across from us. "Remember Youswell? You helped those people get their home and independence back."

"Yeah, that's true." I replied as I crossed my arms over my chest. Ed leaned back and put his feet up on the seat next to Al.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm taking advantage of this two-day trip and catching up on my sleep." He pulled his hood over his head and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"You're gonna sleep for two days? What have you been doing, Edward?" I regarded him as I raised an eyebrow.

"He won't sleep the entire time." Al said with a chuckle.

I looked down at Ed again. Only the tip of his nose, his mouth and chin were exposed under his hood. Something about those features gave me a hard time pulling my gaze away. The emotions inside rose and fell like an ocean on a windy day as a terrible thought entered my head. _You didn't think this would happen did you? You let yourself too close to him and you start liking him…a lot. No matter what, I can't let him think our relationship is nothing more than a companionship. _

I finally tore my gaze away and rested my elbow on the window sill, cupping my chin in my hand. The ride was silent for a while with Ed nodding off, Al watching the scenery fly by, and me who sat there also thinking about taking a nap. I leaned my head on the cool glass. My eyes were closing when Al spoke up.

"I like being able to go on these missions with you. There's something about watching the country side go by that's kind of soothing."

"Yeah," I smirked. "That and you also get a free vacation when you hang with us."

Al shrugged. "I don't think of it as a vacation really. There are people out there who need to be taking care of and watched over. I like being a part of helping those alongside of you and Brother."

I smiled at him and brought my feet up to sit cross-legged on the seat, then noticed my shoe was untied. Setting my feet back on the floor, I bent over to tie it only to be flung forward as the train suddenly lurched with the sound of squealing brakes outside the window. Inertia had gotten the best of me and I tumbled to the floor of the train. Al reached out to grab me, but he was too late. Beside me, Ed yelled out in surprise as he righted himself to keep from falling to the floor.

From the other cabins, I could hear the screams from other passengers and several loud thuds as their luggage fell off of their shelves. The train pulsed as it slowed down rapidly. The brakes continued to screech against the rails and smoke appeared by the window. I crawled back up to my seat and gripped the edge as the train squealed once more before screeching to a rattling halt.

"We stopped already?" Ed looked around quizzically, "How long was I asleep?"

"Not very long." Al told him. "There's not a station here, what's going on?"

I let out a sigh and looked out the window. We were in an open field with mountains lining the horizon. They were so high, the clouds hid their peaks. I opened the window to see the rails beneath the train, but nothing seemed out of order. The sudden stop did not make any sense.

Voices from the scared and concerned passengers floated through the walls of the cabin. I stepped out of ours and into the hallway. Some of the other passengers had done the same, their faces full of concern.

"What happened?" A man the closest to me asked. "Why did we stop?"

"Is anybody hurt?" I asked them, trying to talk over everyone. Al stuck his head out the door and peered down the hall.

When nobody answered me, I felt a large, heavy hand on my shoulder. "I'll go make sure everyone's alright." Al said as he passed me to ascend down the hall.

I heard Ed's footstep's behind me going the other direction. I turned my head to see him heading for the engine room. I hastened after him, worried about what sort of things he had in mind.

"Ed?" I followed him to the front of the car, through the door and into the engine room. Which Ed barged into, forcing the door open.

"Why did we stop?" He demanded. Three men in engineer uniforms looked up at us the instant we walked in. One of them had a map in his hands and was setting in on the floor.

"I guess the map isn't as updated as we thought." He said, clearly not paying attention. He pointed to the railroad system on the map. "Here it says we can take another railroad that detours around the canyon. However, those tracks were abandoned and removed ten years ago." He tapped his index finger on his chin. "Even so, the trip would take twice as long."

One of the engineers by the coal stove spoke to us. "What do you kids want?"

Ed scowled. "I already asked you. Why did the train stop?"

"The bridge up ahead is too weak to hold us." The other engineer answered. "We won't be able to cross without it collapsing."

Ed turned and walked out of the engine room without another word, and I followed right behind him feeling slightly flustered. He had a plan obviously, or he was working on one as he went along and didn't want to pull through with it yet.

"Ed?" I called out again as I caught up to him. He stopped and turned to face me.

"Kale, we're going out to fix the bridge." With that, he marched out of the next car and down the steps. I followed him and wondered if I was too trusting over the fact that he was not telling me what was on his mind. The determination was written all over his face, so I figured the best I could do was be at his side and aide him in any way I could.

We both walked beside the train towards the bridge ahead of us. One of the engineers stuck his head out the window above us.

"What do you kids think you're doing?" He called out.

"We're gonna fix the bridge." Ed didn't look up at him as we passed by. "If it's in the condition I think it's in, then this shouldn't take long."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" He put a hand on his hat to keep it from blowing away.

I smiled at him and pulled my watch from my pocket. "Don't worry, we're state alchemists."

Ed and I followed the rails, stretching as far as the eye could see, until they disappeared in the long grass. I pulled my jacket tighter around me as the wind picked up and glanced around the empty field.

"I wonder how they knew about the bridge if the map wasn't complete." I pondered, pulling my collar up around my neck.

My response was a remote gaze and a thoughtful frown arched on the forehead. Whether he didn't hear me or was just ignoring me I wasn't sure, so I kept walking and waited for him to answer. After several seconds, he did.

"I think I saw a phone in the room with them. Someone must have called them from the station and gave them a heads up."

I raised my eyebrows. "Really. They must come from a top of the line industry."

Ed glanced behind us. "Seems like they do alright."

The bridge was farther than I expected. There were no signs of the land dropping off before the canyon, only a massive crack in the ground with a raging river hundreds of feet below. The bridge itself was made of wood and somehow managed to hold its weight for as long as it did. It creaked and groaned like an old man. I knelt down on one knee to peer across it more closely.

"Is it swaying?" It appeared so, case in point the moaning noises. The bridge was shifting ever so slightly against the wind pressure.

"Yep." Ed stepped up and placed one foot on the catwalk. "It's been a long time since this bridge has seen any maintenance. I think the weather had a hand in too with the snow, the rain and hail." He walked over to the edge of the ledge and cautiously stepped down the steep hill.

"Follow me, Kale." His voice trailed up over the edge. I did and watched my footing as we descended the steep ridge towards the closest support beam of the bridge. The wood had rotted so much over the years from termite damage. It was amazing the bridge was still standing at all.

Ed placed his hand gently on the beam. "We have to transmute at the exact same time, otherwise the bridge will collapse under the inertia. Besides, I won't be able to transmute enough alchemic energy on my own to fix this monster."

I nodded and dug into my pants' pocket for the piece of chalk I always carry along. "It shouldn't be hard with both of us here."

"Yeah." Ed steadied his footing on the harsh angle. "Alright, on the count of three, ready?"

I quickly drew the circle diagram on the side of the beam, then placed my hands near it and nodded at him.

"One…two…three!" Ed clapped his hands and slammed them on the beam as I placed my hands on my diagram, a great blue light flared up from our hands.

The light shone brightly as the bridge suddenly groaned and shifted. Some of the beams deep down in the gorge buckled as they were placed back into their original position. After one last magnificent crack, the bridge was good as new and possibly made harder than rock.

"It worked. Alright…" Ed took his hands off the beam and stepped back to look up at our work.

The bridge stood strongly above our heads with the blue sky behind it. I did a double take as I squinted up. There were a few decorations added which looked rather peculiar. People were sure to become frightened once they saw them.

"Ed, what is that?" I pointed up at the large decorations of demon skulls grinning wickedly and scorpions with their stingers raised.

"What?" He asked, and then looked up to where I was pointing. He grinned slyly. "The bridge looked a little bland."

"I don't think those people on the train will appreciate this." I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms.

"Oh come on, they won't be able to see it anyway. It's below the bridge." He replied nonchalantly.

He flashed me a toothy grin. "Besides, we did good, considering one of us is still in training. Speaking of which, we should get back to the train."

I laughed and climbed behind him up the steep ridge. We reached the top and Ed bent down extending his hand down to me. Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach and my cheeks heating up, I took his hand as he pulled me up on the ledge. Surely someone could set their watch by me whenever those emotions riled up caused by any type of contact.

Grinning mischievously, Ed elbowed me in the ribs. "Race you back to the train."

"Ed, it took us half an hour to walk out here!" I exclaimed incredulously.

"Are you chickening out?" He smirked at me.

"No," I said defensively, avoiding the option of running. It had been years since I stopped, and I was unsure how to pick it up again, however I was not going to start now. I was not ready. "I'm just politely declining. You can go run on ahead if you want to."

"The point of a race is to have an opponent." He told me. "You seem to take that no running rule seriously."

"It's not a rule, it's…not something I do anymore." My voice softened a bit.

Ed's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that? I've seen you run before, you're very fast."

I looked up at the horizon ahead of us, remembering the night we found Nina. The thought sent my muscles on a cringe. "Running _was _a part of my life, Ed. Not anymore. Helping innocent people and getting them back on their feet is what I'm doing now."

The two of us walked on, leaving the newly fixed bridge behind. Ahead of us, I could scarcely make out the front of the train in the distance, the tracks almost disappearing before it. The long grass swayed and shimmered in the wind the field beside us.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After spending two days on the train, we finally reached the town of Dupol. About three-thousand people populated its city limits, not including another one thousand who lived in the tri-county area. For half a century, the town had gone through a steady economic growth. Small country farm houses were scattered around the outskirts of the town. There was a portion of a coal mine seen from the station as I followed Ed and Al off the train. Something else I noticed was the dry and dusty climate we were in.

"Ah-choo!"

"Are you catching a cold?" Al looked down at me.

I sniffed and rubbed my itchy nose before smiling at him. "No, it's just really dry here."

"You're in trouble if you're allergic to the dust." Ed commented as he walked ahead of us.

"I'll be alright. I'll get used to it soon." I replied, switching my bag to my other arm.

Al was beside me as he glanced around taking in the view of the town. "Who knew this place would be inside a dust bowl?"

"I have a feeling the Colonel did." Ed grumbled.

"That doesn't matter." I shook my head. "So, what's first on our to-do list?"

"Find a hotel." Ed replied, "And if I think I know the Colonel, he'll want us to observe the town and see what we can find out."

We set out down the main street lined with shops and carts carrying merchandise, such as clothing or hand-made jewelry. There were one or two carts that had toys for children, like dolls and trains. One had a bubble maker which was surrounded by fascinated children as hundreds of bubbles floated in the air. As for the adults, there were a few window shopping and browsing the carts along the street. It was not a busy town, even with the small amount of tourism around. The atmosphere was very peaceful and relaxing. I had a hard time believing that five girls were abducted from their families. _I guess these kinds of things can happen anywhere, _I thought.

The walk to the hotel was long since it was not in the downtown area. Not to mention it was the only one around. The ceiling was so low that Al had to walk hunched over as Ed and I approached the main desk.

"Hi," I smiled at the woman at the counter, who was writing something down in a giant notebook. She rose her gaze from it as I greeted her. "We would like two rooms please."

"Actually we only have one room left." She replied. "The rest have been booked for the festival this weekend."

I hesitated and glanced at Ed for his reaction. His was somewhere between relief and annoyance. "We'll take it then." He muttered. "This will probably be cheaper anyway."

"Alright." The woman said, then wrote something down in the notebook again. She reached behind her and took the remaining key from the board on the wall. "You have room 216, it's the one farthest from the stairs."

"Thanks." I took the key, paid the lady for the room, and led the way to the stairs.

We reached our room, I put the key in the lock and then opened it. What I saw was not what I was expecting.

"Oh, no."

The room, though it was small, had a decent décor about it. There was a desk and chair up against the wall in one corner, an easy chair on the other side by the window which looked out to the main street. A dresser and mirror with a lamp were near the door, but the first thing my eyes laid on was the one full-sized bed. Leave it to us to draw the short straw and get a honeymoon suite.

Ed stuck his head over my shoulder since I was still standing in the entrance. "What's the matter?" His expression changed to a scowl as he gazed around the room. "What the heck? Why are we stuck with this room?"

I walked inside, set my suitcase on the floor and glanced over at the brothers. Ed had his hands on his hips as with his eyebrows pinched tightly together in a frown. Al was pretty blank faced for having no expressions whatsoever as he walked in and stood beside me.

"Is this the only hotel in town?" Ed asked.

I nodded. "I think so. Why? Were you thinking of switching hotels?"

"There's no way we're sharing a bed." He shook his head vigorously.

I blinked at him, feeling the heat rise on my neck. "Well, yeah. I wouldn't suggest it either." Pushing my suitcase with my foot, I went over to sit down on the chair. "I'll sleep in the chair. No biggie."

Now, it was his turn to blink at me. "You want to sleep in the chair?" He scratched his earlobe. "Why don't you sleep in the bed?"

I waved my hand dismissively. "You can have it, no big deal. Really." Draping my legs over the armrest, I settled deeper in. "Besides, the chair's not that hard, it has a lot of cushion to it."

The chair was really not that bad, even if it sounded like I was lying. The stiff armrests were the only part I was slightly worried about. I watched Ed as he continued to stand there, arms down at his side and stare quizzically at me until Al leaned to over to whisper in his ear. "She's trying to do something nice for you, Brother. Just take her option."

"Alright, fine." Ed mumbled and tossed his suitcase lightly on the bed.

Suddenly, there was a loud squeal from outside followed by a heart thumping bang. I turned to look out the window and saw colors of purple, blue and red glittering in the sky.

"Fireworks!" I exclaimed.

"Guess this is their way of kicking off the festival." Ed said, crossing the room to see out the window.

I smiled at him. "What do you say we kick off our observation now?"

The blonde's crocodile smile slid across his face as he pointed to something across the street. "I want to start with the restaurant."

Hearing that, I felt my stomach growl in agreement. "I second that, let's go!"

Ed chuckled as we vaulted from the window. "Come on, Al, let's get some grub!"

"Right." Al stood up from the bed he sat on and followed us down the stairs.


	18. Chapter 17

**The celebration throughout the town felt bittersweet. I was haunted by the five families who lost their little girls amongst the happy and spirited citizens who paraded around as if nothing tragic ever happened. Their faces from the pictures from the information folder the Colonel gave us burned inside my mind. Regina Stark was five years old, red hair, blue eyes, last seen walking home alone from school. Chesla Emmers was also five years old and had red hair and blue eyes. She was last seen in the market with her mother until she wandered off and disappeared. Lane Gaiers was the six-year-old. She too had red hair and blue eyes. She was playing in her own backyard by herself when she was taken. Annsly Copeland was four years old, red hair, blue eyes, and was found missing from her own bed one morning by her mother. Cassidy Wilson was the one who was different. She was also five-years-old, but her features were different from the others. Her hair was more blond than the other girls and she had hazel eyes. It was one thing to have all of them look the same, but why was Cassidy set apart from the others? **

**It gave me a headache pondering about these things while I sat in the restaurant with Ed and Al, and the chicken in my stomach made it feel heavier. I sighed and set my fork down on the table.**

"**Something wrong, Kale?" Al asked me. "You barely touched your food."**

**I shook my head. "I'm just thinking about our case. I'm nervous about wasting time while another little girl could be abducted."**

**Edward's golden orbs rested on me as he listened, and I felt my heart begin to flutter inside my chest. Dang, those emotions were becoming harder and harder to control. **

"**I have a feeling the suspect works in a pattern. Each of the girls were taken every five months. It's been a week since Cassidy's been gone." He spooned the last of his ramen before pausing to put it in his mouth. "However, I agree we can't sit around, we need to figure out where to go from here. We should start getting information."**

"**Maybe we can talk to the girls' families," I suggested. "If they're willing."**

"**Why wouldn't they be willing?" Edward's brow furrowed as dug out money from his pocket for the bill.**

**I shrugged. "I think they may be a little sensitive talking about this. Wouldn't you?"**

"**Yeah," Al agreed. "We should approach them gently."**

**After getting information from the proprietor of the restaurant of where each family lived, the three of us set off to the nearest family: the Wilson's. Their house was very admiring as it stood at a rambling two-stories, the ivy winding its way up one side of the brick house, the neat flowerbeds, the well-groomed lawn. The house was beautiful. **_**Evil doesn't care where you live, **_**I thought. **

**The sun was peeking over the tips of rooftops of the neighboring homes as Ed, Al and I walked up the front lawn. I felt dark mists of knowing looming around the house and wrapping around my senses. Then, a whooshing sound flew by my ears causing me to stop walking and listen. Al noticed I was not following and turned to face me.**

"**Are you coming?" He asked.**

**I swallowed hard, and then smiled at him and nodded as I caught up with him. By then, Edward had reached the front door and rang the bell hanging nearby. A couple seconds passed, and then the door opened. She was a short woman with long, flowing blond hair and her blue eyes were red and swollen, possibly due to crying and stress. She had to be Cassidy's mother.**

"**Hi there," Edward started softly, "I'm Edward Elric, and this is my partner, Kale Jensen, and my brother Alphonse. We're State Alchemists. Well, Alphonse isn't, just us." He pointed sheepishly at his brother and then waved his hand over me.**

_**That was a great start, **_**I thought sarcastically, fighting the urge to roll my eyes.**

**Cassidy's mother nodded and continued to gaze curiously at us. "What can I do for you?" **

"**We have a few questions for you, Mrs. Wilson," Al said. "Regarding your daughter, Cassidy."**

**The woman blinked in surprise at Al, probably not expecting a child's voice to come from a tall suit of armor. Nonetheless, she stepped aside and opened the door wider, smiling sadly. "Come on in, then."**

**The three of us stepped inside, then I felt the whispers creep up once again. They were silenced once Cassidy's mother closed the door behind me. Thinking my equilibrium was off, I cleared my throat and rubbed my ears a little.**

**The woman introduced herself as Carol and led us into a room off to the left, from the way the furniture was situated it was most likely the living room. Al followed us and nearly knocked down the small chandelier hnaging in the entryway. The crystals tinkled against each other as the spike from Al's helmet tangled in them.**

"**Careful, Al." I murmured to him.**

**He put his hands on the sides of the chandelier to stop it from rocking. "Sorry about that, Carol."**

"**It's alright," She said, with a dismissal wave. "My husband is as tall as you are and always hits his head on that thing. He always tells me one day he'll fix the chain to raise it higher, but he never does. He'll just end up with a headache I suppose. Please have a seat."**

**Ed and I sat on the couch across from Carol, while Al seated himself on an easy chair next to us.**

"**Shall I get you kids something to drink?" She asked.**

**The three of us glanced at one another before shaking our heads. "No, thank you." I said. "We just had dinner."**

"**Okay then." Carol sat down on the couch across from us.**

**I pursed my lips as I thought of a way to approach the situation. "Carol, if you don't mind, could we get started with the questions. Um, was there anything suspicious at all the night before Cassidy vanished?"**

**Carol shook her head. "I hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. I put Cassidy to bed at her regular bedtime after I read her a story. The next morning, I went to wake her up and she wasn't there."**

**I drew my eyebrows together in a thoughtful frown. **_**So, Cassidy was taken from her bed, too? I wonder if there's a connection between her and Annsly.**_

**Carol rubbed her face before continuing. "She used to play this game all the time. She loves hide-and-seek, it's her favorite game. I thought she was playing with me until I practically turned the house upside down looking for her."**

**The mental image of the little empty bed sent my stomach churning. As much as I could sympathize with the parents, I was sure I was far from feeling the loss and devastation of finding my own child missing. Carol's eyes moistened, she quickly took out a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed them.**

"**Was there any sign of forced entry?" Al asked.**

"**No," Carol said, nervously wringing her handkerchief. "That's the eerie part. We lock all of our doors and windows, and there wasn't anything broken that morning."**

**Ed scratched his chin. "Okay, I'm going to play a wild card here. Carol, is there any way it's possible that maybe…"**

**I stared at him trying to understand what he was implying, however Carol was the one who figured it first. Her jaw dropped as she lowered her handkerchief to her lap.**

"**You think I did this? You actually think I would hurt my little Cassidy?"**

**Ed shrugged. "I was only asking. It's pure procedure to get us on with the investigation."**

"**I did not hurt my baby," Carol stated emphatically. "Nobody understands what happened. Am I the only one who does?" Her voice began to climb to a near-hysterical pitch. Al and I pressed ourselves farther against the backs of our seats, my nerves rattled inside of me. "My own daughter is missing, and I want someone to go out there and find her and bring her home safe and sound, please!"**

**Just then the front door burst open and a tall man came barreling in, his head banged into the mini-chandelier. He frowned and rubbed his head, and then he noticed the company in his living-room. "Carol, who are these kids?" He asked.**

"**They're State Alchemists," Carol continued dabbing her face. "They had questions about Cassidy."**

"**We're sorry, Carol." Al said. "We're not trying to upset you."**

**Carol's husband walked over and gently placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. "Honey, you need to relax. You haven't slept well at all, and your stress levels are increasing. We should just hope…" He glanced uneasily in our direction. "These kids can take care of everything and find our Cassidy."**

"**We're doing everything we can, and we will find her and the other girls." I assured them. Ed stood up and walked over to the sofa table where a few picture frames sat. He picked up one of them and studied it.**

"**Carol, do you mind if we take a look in Cassidy's room?" He traced the edge of the picture frame with his finger.**

**She was unable to answer right away, her face was buried in her husband's chest. He nodded at us. "Yes, go ahead. I'll be right behind you."**

**Ed and I ascended the stairs while Al stayed in the living room and talked to Carol. The upstairs level was too short and narrow for him and I felt rather sorry for him.**

"**I think this town is too small for Al." I mumbled to Ed as we navigated our way around the maze of a hallway. "The hotel was the same way." The house was an old fashion style where one would have to go through one room to get to the hallway which led to other bedrooms in the house. It made me uneasy because it felt intrusive to walk through somebody's room that way.**

"**Well, Al's suit sat in our dad's lab for as long as I can remember." Ed replied as he glanced in a room with an old sewing machine inside. "I don't really know where it came from, but from the looks of it, the suit is a lot older than this house."**

"**You have a point." We came to the room at the end of the hall and peered in. The walls were ivory with pink laced curtains on the window, the bed was also laced with a pink bedspread with a teddy bear resting on the pillow. In the corner of the room was a small dresser and a floor mirror, and beside it was a handmade doll sitting in a rocking chair. Cassidy's room. I stepped in cautiously with Ed right behind me. For a moment, I thought the whispers would start again, but the small room was eerily quiet.**

**I heard a sound behind me and turned around. Mr. Wilson appeared at the doorway. His eyes shifted around the room as a sad smile hung on his face.**

"**The police were over here the day after Cassidy disappeared." He pointed back down the hall. "If you think Carol's emotional now, you should have seen her on that day. Poor girl is like a walking time bomb."**

"**I imagine this must be hard for the both you, Mr. Wilson." I watched him as he continued to look around the room as if trying to take in everything that was his daughter. The sad shadows were apparent in his green eyes. I grieved for him.**

"**I thank you for what you're doing." He rubbed his wrist and glued his gaze to the floor. "Carol thanks you too. I'm sure you know about Regina Stark, she was the first one to go almost two years ago. The police gave up looking after two months."**

"**We won't let it be two years until you see Cassidy again, Mr. Wilson." I assured him. "We'll work hard to find all the girls, even Regina."**

**He nodded before ducking his head under the door as he left the room.**

**Edward began searching around the room. He checked the window for cracks, the floor for broken glass, and he stuck his head under the bed. I eyed him perplexedly as I walked over into the small closet and knocked on the walls, checking for any secret passage ways. The closet turned out to be a normal hole with four walls. Nothing significant, or even exciting there. I kept walking around the room and squinted at the walls for any signs of a light splinter for hidden rooms where the suspect could easily get in without breaking into the house. By then, Edward had crawled out from under the bed. He ran his fingers through his messy hair.**

"**Nothing under there but a sock and a couple toys." He crossed his arms with a discouraged expression on his face.**

**I smiled at him, and my heart hammered inside my chest. How can one look so cute when they are disgruntled and upset with dust balls in their hair? I approached him slowly. "What were you doing under there?"**

"**Looking for a trap door." He sniffed and rubbed his nose with his sleeve. **

**I reached up slowly and picked the dust from his hair. He flinched slightly and a blush crept up his face. "What are you doing?"**

"**You had a dust bunny in your hair." I flicked the dust off my finger, ignoring my own blush crawling up my neck.**

"**Oh." His eyes glued to the wall as he rubbed the back of his neck.**

**The sound of clanging metal fixed my attention outside. I glanced out the window and saw Al in the backyard peering closely at the ground. Confused and curious I watched him for a few seconds as he walked around hunched over as if he lost something. **

_**He must have found cat prints, **_**I thought with a smile, and then did a double-take. **_**Wait a minute. Footprints? Did he find footprints?**_

"**I'm going outside with Al," I announced and headed for the door. "I think he found something."**

**Ed glanced out the window and then followed me out the door. Once we were outside, I began to scan the ground. The woods touched the backyard where the trees thickened and blocked the last few rays of the sun. Small ferns were scattered as far back as the eye could see until they were green dots in the distance. The yard was not very big, and I wanted to expand the search, but before I lifted my foot to step in, someone tugged on my sleeve.**

"**Kale, wait." Ed whispered.**

**I turned to look at him as he nodded toward the house. At first, I could not see why he was gesturing until I saw Carol standing at the kitchen window. Her arms were crossed and she wore a tired but cautious expression. Surely she did not feel we were trespassing, did she? Had the police preformed the same procedure when Cassidy first disappeared? After what Mr. Wilson said about them giving up after two weeks, maybe she thought we would eventually too. That was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to bring every one of the girls to their home and find the suspect behind this.**

"**It's past dusk, Kale. We can come back tomorrow, and talk to the other families." Edward told me.**

**The sun was below the tree line as the sky turned from pale pink to orange then to violet until the eastern sky was a dark blue. The first star of the night twinkled as if it were a plain light bulb hanging against a ceiling. The air was colder meaning the days were becoming shorter.**

**I nodded. "You're right. Let's go."**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**The clanging of armor woke me from my slumber. I opened my eyes and saw Al heading to the window. He gently pushed the curtain aside with his massive fingers. The light from a streetlamp pierced through the dark room. Edward was still asleep and sprawled across the bed with the blankets wadded up around his waist, his mouth hanging open. A warm sensation spread inside my chest as my stomach fluttered. He looked so sweet laying there, almost vulnerable. **

**I shifted a little to relieve the pressure on the back of my neck from the armrest and felt something soft draped on me. Edward's red coat was laid across me and tucked under my shoulders. My face flushed as the heat ran up my neck as I tired to remember him covering me with it. I never thought I was a heavy sleeper. **

"**What's going on out there, Al?" My voice was dry and husky.**

"**There's a crowd a people outside." He replied, "It sounds like they're looking for someone."**

**Rising out of the chair, I joined him by the window with Edward's coat wrapped around my shoulders, trying to keep warm. Sure enough, there was a crowd out in the streets, a lot of the people were carrying torches. I couldn't hear what they were saying so I opened the window, then their callings became clearer. Somebody named Jeanna was gone. I felt a moan in the back of my throat.**

"**Another one is missing?" I pulled Edward's coat tighter around me.**

"**So much for the five month pattern." Al said.**

**I watched the crowd as it ascended up the main road. One of the women had a blanket around her shoulders as she covered her mouth with her hand, the tears streamed down her face. **_**She must be the mother, **_**I thought. **

"**Late night party out there?" A voice behind us asked.**

**I turned to see Edward sitting up in his bed, the golden hair aside of his braid was askew. My heart hammered in my chest. He blinked sleepily at me, waiting for an answer. **

"**It's not a celebration." I said. "Sounds like another little girl has gone missing."**

**He frowned and then got up to look for himself. He too watched the crowd for a while as they turned a corner.**

"**We should help." He said, heading for his suitcase to dig his clothes out. I did the same and picked out a pair of black pants and pulled on a burgundy long sleeved shirt. After slipping my shoes on, I handed Edward his coat. He looked at it, then gently pushed it away.**

"**You wear it. You don't have anything warmer than that anyway." **

"**No, no. I'll be alright."**

"**I said put it on."**

"**What about you? You won't have anything."**

"**Put. It. On."**

"**But, Edward…"**

**His glare darkened like he was challenging me to continue arguing with him. I waited for Al to intervene, but the boy in the armor was silent. I had to stand my ground on my own this time, so I tried glaring back at him. He stepped closer to me, and I struggled to control my blood pressure. He yanked the coat from my hands and wrapped it around my shoulders, gripping them to keep me from shrugging it off.**

"**Just wear the stupid coat, Kale." His expression softened as he turned away and headed for the door.**

**Smiling a little, I tucked his coat around my shoulders. Al caught up with his brother as we left the hotel. The younger brother leaned down to whisper something to his older brother. I couldn't hear what he said, but his raspy tone was light and acquainted with humor.**

**Edward flinched with annoyance and muttered, "Shut up."**


	19. Chapter 18

Our search with the rest of the town citizens hardly lasted five minutes when a large drop of rain pelted the top of my head. I reached up to touch the spot in my hair and looked up. The clouds had taken over the night sky and leaving out the stars and the moon. I felt another heavy drop of rain on my shoulder, and quickly pulled the hood from Edward's coat over my head. Soon, more drops hit the ground as the wind picked up, and the trees swayed against it, their leaves rustling loudly. I knew it was a matter of time before the rain would pour, and Al with his metal suit would be in trouble. Edward would be soaked eventually, and his automail would rust underneath his clothes.

"Um, guys? Maybe we should find shelter." I glanced uneasily at the dark sky once more. The rest of the villagers had started evacuating to their homes along side the main road. They never told us how long the search lasted until we joined them. I could not see if Jeanna's mother was one of them or not.

"What?" Edward drew his eyebrows together. "Are you scared of a little rain?"

"No, I'm…" I hesitated and wrung my hands. "Concerned for you guys."

The rain came down harder as Alphonse hustled over to a table with an umbrella near a restaurant. "I won't be able to make it in this rain. I left my oil can at the hotel."

"We can all make it back if we run." Edward placed his hands on his hips.

I gritted my teeth anxiously. "Or we can wait it out. How long is it going to rain this hard anyway?"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "_You _want to wait it out?"

I stared at him as Edward's hair dampening and his bangs resembled shoelaces, which stuck to his face. "If we stand out here talking about it, you'll get sick."

Edward crossed his arms. "Since when do people get sick from being wet?"

I shrugged. "If you want to head back to the hotel, that's fine, but I want to wait it out."

His eyes narrowed, and without waiting for an answer, I walked to the table with Alphonse, sat down and glanced back at Edward. He watched us for a second before joining us. He took the chair across me and glued his eyes on the falling rain. The only way to see it was from a nearby street lamp, which was the only one in the area.

Behind the light, I could scarcely make out the buildings of businesses and apartments. Their windows yawned and exposed darkness behind them. I wondered if any of them were still in business. The restaurant windows were the same with a touch of light from the streetlamp causing them to reflect the rain, creating black dots on the hardwood floor. A little ways in, I saw a small fragment of a chair leg and a tablecloth.

I rested my head in my arms, hoping to doze off to the sound of the rain. Beside me, I heard Alphonse murmur to Edward, "It doesn't look like its letting up, does it?"

"This is exactly why I wanted to get back to the hotel as soon as possible." Edward grumbled.

Letting that one slide, I buried my head deeper in my arms. Suddenly, a smell hit me and I realized it came from Edward's coat. My stomach somersaulted as I inhaled the scent. It was implacable at first, but then there was the smell of freshly cracked open books, and something else sweet, warm, and soothing that was so innate. It belonged to him and him alone.

I would have fallen asleep to his scent if it had not been for the electricity in the air. My ears twitched, waiting for it. There was a deep rumbling that shook the earth below my feet. Without warning, there was a bright flash and a tremendous thunderclap. My heart leaped to my throat as I shrieked and sat straight up. Suddenly the idea of waiting was no longer appealing to me.

"Wow." Alphonse exclaimed.

"Yeah, did you see that, too?" Edward looked at his brother, his eyes wide and bright.

_Oh, crap, _I thought, gripping the tablecloth in my fist, _maybe Ed was right. We should have gone back to the hotel. Geez, what kind of State Alchemist is afraid of her own element? I'm pathetic._

"This storm came out of nowhere!" Edward leaned over in his seat and peered up at the sky.

"Well, it was very cloudy yesterday." Alphonse commented.

"We would have heard the thunder-"He was interrupted by another booming thunderclap. This one shook the tables around us, including ours. I shrieked again, shut my eyes and plugged my ears. The storm was right on top of us; there was no warning of the bright flashes before the crashing thunder. Rain pounded harder as it came down at an angle, and the water trailed down the sides of the umbrella.

Edward saw the water too, and stood on the table, clapped his hands and transmuted the umbrella to a harder and longer material.

"That will keep you dryer, Al." He grinned at his brother.

Another lightning flash and the thunder shook the earth once again. With that, I scrambled under the table and hugged my knees close to my chest. I willed my heart back to my chest, telling myself over and over, _You're okay, you're alright. The storm will pass. You're fine…don't worry._

"Kale? What are you doing under here?" I heard Edward's voice beside and looked up. His face was very close to mine and I could see deeply into his golden eyes, they hinted confusion and concern.

My heart leaped once more to my throat and my stomach flipped harder. _Dang it._

"Are you afraid of the storm, Kale?" Alphonse had leaned over in his seat and pulled up the tablecloth.

When I didn't answer right away, Edward scoffed. "Oh, come on, you of all people know what lightning really is. Its just flashes of light caused by the discharge of atmospheric electricity."

"I _know _what lightning is." I wrinkled my nose at him. "Try telling that to my clenching organs."

"The lightning won't hurt you, Kale." Alphonse said gently. "It would strike something higher, like a tall tree."

I shook my head and kept my gaze on my knees, away from Edward's eyes. "It's not the lightning I'm afraid of. The thunder is loud and unpredictable. There's barely any warning except for the lightning, so I cringe at that, too. I can't really explain it, but it's loud and it scares me."

A flash brightened the street once again, and the crashing thunder followed without a delay. I crushed my forehead against my knees as a hand rested on my shoulder.

"There's really nothing to be scared of." Edward's voice was warm and gentle. "Al and I are right here. Nothing is going to hurt you."

Another thunderclap sounded, and I flinched, desperately tried to remain calm, but only succeeding at shivering.

"Do you think you can head back to the hotel with us?" Alphonse asked.

I took a deep breath. "I don't know."

"Is it the thunder or the idea of running back you're afraid of?" Edward shifted his feet underneath him.

The saliva built up in my mouth, and my veins froze as I considered both of those options. "I don't really know." I rested my chin on my raised knees.

"I have an idea!" Alphonse piped in. "You can ride inside of me."

I raised my eyebrows. "Huh?"

He nodded so vigorously I almost laughed at him. "Yeah! You won't have to run with us, and you won't have to be outside with the thunder and lightning."

Edward moistened his lips as he regarded his brother and then rested his gaze on me, waiting for an answer.

I studied my knees. "I…uh…sure. That'd be nice." I nodded and smiled at Al.

"Okay," Alphonse crawled out backwards from under the table and Edward and I followed him. "Don't worry, you'll be safe and dry inside."

Before I had a chance to say anything else, he unlatched the buckles on his shoulders and opened his chest plate. He knelt on the ground.

Without another word, I ducked my head and climbed inside. The idea was strange at first, but then actually being inside of him was even stranger. Hunching my knees close to my chest, I was careful to hold still to avoid rubbing against his blood seal. Once his chest plate was latched, his voice echoed from inside the suit.

"Are you comfortable in there, Kale?"

I shook my head and heard my own voice echoing inside the hollow suit. "Yep, I'm fine."

"You'll be nice and dry in there. Let's head back, Al." Edward sounded from outside.

Suddenly, Alphonse stepped forward causing me to lose my balance, but I was able to right myself. There was something I never had thought about before was how long his footsteps were. Each of his was nearly two of mine. It felt like he was leaping.

I looked behind me at his blood seal and a shiver ran down my spine as a flash of lightning lit up the inside of the armor. Flinching again from the thunder, I tightened my grip around my knees, keeping my eyes on his seal as a way of comforting myself.

As my eyes focused on it, I was reminded of how much these brothers have endured. I knew their travels involving the solution to human alchemy would not be easy on them in the future. What they had seen and ventured through already seemed to strengthen them mentally and physically, as compared to me, having gone through the torture of being locked up in darkness and silence, and not just during those frightful hours locked in my uncle's basement after he had disappeared. The Elric's bared a heavy load on their shoulders, yet they refused to give up when the odds were against them.

I wondered if I too had grown strong since leaving my uncle's house. Moving on was a step forward I knew that. Still, there were moments when I would take one step, slip, and slide down two more, when I was too exhausted to care. However, since meeting the boys, they became an inspiration to me.

There was a heavy weight on my head, and then I remembered it was caused from my lack of sleep the night before. Fatigue had threatened to take over as I walked down the main road with Edward and Alphonse, my eyelids becoming heavier with each step I took. Edward obviously slept well once he asked the hotel owner to bring up a cot for him to sleep in and gave me the bigger bed. While I was extremely touched over his thoughtfulness, it did not rid the hammering headache, which began just as I rested my head on my pillow. Either he slept well, or he was a fine actor, feigning his own lack of sleep.

It was a dark morning, the clouds hung low over Dupol as its citizens wakened and began opening their shops and restraints, and a few turned on their lights. There were a few tourists walking around heading for breakfast before the big rush started.

My eyelids slowly closed once more, and in that split second, a force kept me from walking any further. I opened my eyes and realized it was Alphonse I ran into.

"Sorry, Al." I placed my fist over my mouth as I fought back a yawn.

He didn't answer, instead his attention was focused on something in an alley next to us.

"What is it, Al?" I asked.

"There…I saw something moving in the woods." He pointed to the trees behind the two buildings.

"Where?" Edward squinted his eyes.

Without answering, Alphonse ran through the alley and into the woods, Edward and I followed him, our feet pounding on the ground. It wasn't long before Alphonse had reached whatever it was he found. He was kneeling close to the ground and speaking softly.

"Al, did you find another cat?" Edward asked, walking around his brother. He suddenly froze at what he saw.

"Not exactly." Alphonse replied softly.

"What is it?" I leaned over Alphonse's shoulder and froze myself. Huddled on the ground was a small girl. Her arms were over her head, and she trembled as her chest heaved and shook with hiccup-sobs. She wore a pink dress, which reached her scraped knees, her legs were also scratched, bleeding and bruised, and she was barefoot. Her elbows were also scraped. The girl's blond hair was tangled, matted and wet. My fear was that she was outside in the storm the night before.

I knelt beside her carefully so I wouldn't scare her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright? What's your name?"

The girl lifted her head; blood had trickled from her lip, and her face pale as if she was battling a cold. Then, she spoke to me, her voice was raspy.

"My name is Jeanna."


	20. Chapter 19

"This was where Jeanna said she saw him, right?" I cupped my hands around the sides of my face to see in the window of the shed. After a few seconds my eyes adjusted to the empty darkness inside.

"It's where she _thought _she saw him," Edward replied as he made his way around the back. "And by the looks of this place, no one has been here in ages."

I backed away from the window and tried opening the door, but it would not budge. "What else did she say to you, Al?"

"Not much. She was pretty traumatized by what happened. " He drew a circle on the wall of the shed, and then placed his hands on it. Seconds later, a door appeared once the glow subsided. Edward stepped through with Alphonse and I close behind him. It was not large but it was not small either. The room was twenty feet in length and ten feet across. The air inside was heavy with moisture and a musty smell dominated the room. Dust and dirt gathered on the only window, which cast a gloomy light inside of the shed. Spider webs stretched from corner to corner across the ceiling. The only furniture was a folding chair leaning against the far corner.

I sneezed once. "Seems like its safe to bet no one has been here in years."

"It's also a dead end." Edward grumbled, pulling a cobweb from his nose and mouth. "Either the man behind this is smarter than we thought and moved his location, or our little friend was spooked from being alone in the woods at night and was jumping at shadows."

"But she told me herself she saw him." Alphonse insisted. "You saw her, brother. She was terrified."

I sneezed again and rubbed my itchy nose on my sleeve. "Did she say anything else to you, Al?"

"Yes," He hesitated in thought. "As we were leaving, she said 'The ox.'"

"The ox?" I frowned.

He nodded. "I think she wanted to say more, but she looked…uncertain for some reason. When I asked her what she meant she wouldn't talk anymore."

I scratched my chin. "Well, there's a clue if I ever heard one."

"Maybe she saw one somewhere? There could be a person raising oxen nearby."

"Or the kidnapper could be using a farmer identity as an alias." Edward piped in.

Doubt filled my senses. I shook my head. "I don't remember seeing any farms on our way in town."

"Of course you didn't. He wouldn't make himself known and place his farm anywhere near town. There'd be a lot of people who would know him, so he hides deep in the woods."

Considering this, I scanned the musty room. We were too early in the case to find a solid lead. This kidnapper was slick and easy to lose. There was no proof he had been anywhere in town, at the Wilson's, nor the place where the potential victim saw him. It was like he never existed at all.

Sighing through my nose, I rubbed my eyes. We were getting nowhere fast, and the trail was getting cold. However, there was a speck of hope surging through me with Jeanna's last blurted sentence. It almost seemed crazy to rush in with a simple theory. For all we knew, Jeanna could have been suffering from trauma.

"Do you think it's possible?" I asked questioningly.

"No," Edward's shoulders dropped. "We can't make any assumptions yet. However, I do think Cassidy's disappearance has nothing to do with the other four girls."

"Why do you think that?" Alphonse turned his head to look outside.

"She's different from the others. Her age may be the same, but she doesn't fit in with the red-head category."

"So, what do you think happened to her?"

Edward turned and headed out of the shed. "That's what we're here to find out. Let's split. There's nothing left for us here."

Alphonse and I silently followed him and made our way back on the trail. It was about two miles off of the main road that snaked through Dupol. How we ever found the shed was nothing short of a miracle. By Jeanna's directions from the spot where we found her, she said she was on a road of some kind until she came to the shed where she saw the man. He was covered from head to toe with muck and he screeched while swinging a heavy weapon in her direction. She only saw his tall frame, and didn't say anything else about his face.

Her story was told once we brought her back to her home. After several minutes of her mother coddling and crying over her, we were able to get a few things out of her. Although, she barely spoke a word so I began to ask her yes and no questions. Alphonse was the only one she was able to talk to, so I sat back and let him do the asking.

Like Chesla Emmers, Jeanna also wandered off, only she was in her backyard. The woods briefly touched her play area, and her curiosity brought her to exploring it. Her mother, Caris, was in the house and when she went outside to check on her, Jeanna was not in the yard. Thinking she went next door to the neighbor's house, Caris walked over and asked them if they had seen Jeanna, or if she had stopped by. When they said they hadn't seen her, Caris began to panic. She searched all over for her, and then dusk settled. Soon, some of the town folk had heard of the girl's disappearance and aided Caris with her search. By that time, Jeanna had been gone for four hours.

Even if Jeanna was seeing forms and shapes that night in the woods, it was enough to truly frighten her.

Now, the three of us started back to the main road to Dupol. The brothers walked a little ways ahead of me, deep in their conversation about possibilities where the kidnapper could be. Any other time, I would have joined them, but there was something distracting me as I walked along the path. I stopped completely and took in the scenery. The way the trees lined up, the ferns scattered across our way and the road itself all shouted something at me. A dream I had before was coming back to me.

When we arrived back at the hotel the night before, I was so exhausted that I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow. Soon, visions of trees with the dark gray, cloudy sky behind them came to my mind. After wandering around on my own for a short while, I saw movement from the corner of my eye. I turned and saw a flash of red in the midst of the woods. Rushing after it, I saw a pair of shoulders and realized it was one of the missing girls, but which one was it? Each time I came close, the child would vanish in the shadows.

The dread inside began to build as I stood there staring into space. I was never one to take my dreams seriously since they could be extremely bizarre and far-fetched. However, this dream was not like the others. The scene was right in front of me, no matter how hard I tried to distinguish it.

A harsh poke on the side of my head ripped me out of my fantasy. "Ouch!" I flinched and covered the spot with my hand.

"I called your name like five times! Are you deaf?!" Edward shouted. He was standing so close; I had not even heard him walk up behind me. Alphonse was waiting for us quite a ways down the path. I must have daydreamed longer than a few seconds.

"I'm sorry about that, but I think…" I took another glance to the thicket of trees, and the pull from the dream became stronger. "I think I've been here before."

"Huh?" Edward's brow furrowed.

I nodded. "In a dream."

He continued to stare at me, completely perplexed, and hands on his hips. I felt heat rise up my neck and stop at my face. What a time to become unraveled. Behind him, Alphonse was making his way back to us. "Is everything alright?"

I stepped back and swallowed hard. This time the pull was harder to ignore. "I don't know, but I think I know the location of one of the girls."

"You do? How?" Alphonse exclaimed.

"I-it's hard to explain really, but I dreamt of this very spot." I stammered, wringing my hands nervously.

Edward's gaze shifted from me to the woods, then back again. "Are you sure?"

"Almost positive." I worried my bottom lip.

"Almost positive?" He quoted.

Feeling defeated, I dropped my arms to my sides. "I know it sounds crazy, Ed, and I'm not one to rely a gut instinct. Still though, it's a very strong instinct."

The boys exchanged glances, causing me to take a step back on my own thoughts as the pulling sensations beckoned me more and more. _They don't believe me_, I thought. _I wouldn't believe me either._

"Do you know exactly where she is?" Edward asked.

"No, but if you follow me I'll take us there." I quickly finished for them.

"How are you-"

"We'll follow you." Alphonse intercepted before Edward could finish, who glanced quizzically at his brother.

"What?"

The corners of my mouth lifted. "Great. Let's go."

"I really hope you know what you're doing, Kale." Edward said as I led him and Alphonse into the thicket of the woods.

_So do I, Ed_. The pulling sensation became stronger with each step, and any doubt I had before was erased.

It was not long before we were ankle-deep in mud. The soggy ground sank beneath our feet as we treaded down a slippery slope and into an area of pine trees. From a distance, there was the sound of trickling water. A few feet away was the base of the slope, and we found the resource of the sound.

The pulling had stopped completely as I stared in disbelief at the babbling brook. Panic swelled in me as I tried to recollect seeing anything resembling of the sort. Nothing. The storm from the night before had brought the stream to its limit and overflowed its bank.

"Oh, no." My voice trembled.

"What's wrong?" Edward approached me, eyeing the brook.

"I don't remember this place." I glanced to my left and saw a stone hedge about ten feet away. Instantly it came back and I rushed over to the hedge. There was an area on the ground it where the grass no longer surfaced and in its place were rocks, leaves and sticks.

"Hey, wait, what are you doing now?" Edward called out impatiently.

"Kale, wait for us!" Alphonse shouted.

Slowly I knelt down next to the hedge and began to brush away the sticks and wet leaves.

"What are you doing?" Edward demanded the moment he joined me.

"Help me." I pleaded as I dug deeper in the cold wet earth. Alphonse kneeled beside me and pushed the rocks and dirt aside. A couple minutes later, a pink sheet surfaced through. _Oh, please, no._

The bile rose to my throat as I dug more the make the hole bigger. Just as I began to pull the pink sheet aside, Edward gripped my hand in his to stop me. His contact caused my pulse to quicken.

"Kale, wait, maybe we should…" The color in his face failed significantly so much it startled me. He took a deep breath. "I'll do it."

I nodded, and then sat back on my heels, resting my chin on my raised knees. I knew what was coming next.

As he pushed the mud and sticks aside, his hands trembled a little. His face, however, held a reserved expression. Though deep down, he knew what was going to happen. Then he sat back and pulled out the pink sheet, which turned out to be a t-shirt torn to shreds and stained with blood. He closed his eyes and bowed his head over the shirt.

The blood rushed in my ears, vacating my head and threatening to knock me out cold as I stared in horror at the face of the little girl's pale face. Taking several deep breaths, I fought to stay conscious. In the far trenches in the back of my mind, there was a voice saying, _You knew it would come to this. Why are you so surprised?_

Beside me, Alphonse bent over. Through his lack of expressions came the small sound of a sob. A sob filled with grief and mourn for the lost child who would never laugh and run freely again, and of loss over the grave of Regina Stark.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Within half an hour, we were able to lead the sheriff and the head doctor of Dupol down to the river where we found her. Needless to say, they both did not believe us at first, however they considered us as three witnesses of finding a girl's body. Perhaps since two of us were State Alchemists, they took us upon our word.

Once we reached the sight, the doctor took one look and confirmed her as Regina.

I stood by the sheriff's car, my arms wrapped around my waist as I watched the body bag being carried out of the woods. The doctor, Mr. Reid, had it cradled in his arms. The mere sight of it broke my heart.

I lowered my head, feeling my eyes grow hot with moisture, but I was unable to shed a tear. Feeling his presence, I turned and looked at him. Edward held a slight trace of remorse on his face, though his eyes were full of compassion as he watched me. He joined me by the car and rested his arm on my shoulders. Though he spoke softly, his voice was filled with determination. "We'll catch this guy, Kale. Mark my words."

Choking on my emotions, I nodded to respond. On my left, Alphonse leaned toward me in a reassuring gesture. He didn't have to say anything. Neither of them did. The silence was enough.

Ray, the sheriff, encouraged us to his car to give us a ride back to town. During the ride, I stared out the window without seeing the countryside fly by. Now, the hardest part was coming up: telling the family about Regina.

Is it necessary to tell them? She's been missing for two years; maybe they had already assumed the worst. My stomach coiled at the sheer helplessness of the thought of her family giving up on her existence. Questions of the matter invaded my mind.

_What had she done to make him mad? Did he kill her once he heard two State Alchemists were on his case? Would he do the same with the other girls?_

Suddenly, realization struck me. The killer was angry, or some time in the very near future, he would be angry once he hears Regina was found. His scheme had been disturbed. Who knew what his next action plan would be.

I turned my head to Edward, who sat in the back seat with Alphonse. His attention was focused out the window until he felt my gaze on him. His golden orbs rested on me and watched me. Then they flickered in understanding, though his face remained as remote as before. He glanced out the window again.

It was not the time to discuss the matter, however, Alphonse wanted to set the pace.

"Sheriff, are there any farms with oxen anywhere in town?" He asked.

Ray frowned. "No, I'm afraid not. There haven't been any in the last fifteen years. Why do you ask?"

"We may have a lead on our case," Edward said, "It might have something to do with a farm in the area."

"Well, like I said, there haven't been any here in years." Ray said, pulling up to the sheriff's office before turning the ignition off. "But if you're looking for a specific one, then maybe I can go over the records of the town and see what I can find."

"No farms anywhere?" I asked as I opened the car door. "Where do you get your food?"

"From surrounding towns who ship it to us." Ray replied. "During the summer, fire spreads easily with the severe and dry heat, and everyone is at their own risk when they plant their crops and gardens."

"That's great that you have friends from other towns who are willing to help." Alphonse said.

Ray smiled. "Yes, we are very fortunate. Of course it's just a favor. There are stories from the past of Dupol helping them out in times of trouble."

Edward smirked. "Heh, yeah. We should get moving. Thanks for your help."

Ray nodded. "You three take care of each other, and be careful."

"We will." Alphonse bowed. "Thank you."

As we walked down the road, Edward came up beside me. "You wanted to tell me something?"

I walked a few more steps before answering him. "I'm sure the kidnapper will be angry once he finds out Regina was discovered. What I'm not sure what his next move will be when he does."

Edward's attention caught on a garden shop we passed by. There were marigolds and wildflowers on display, each one sat in a pot according to color. First in line were the flowers in red, then gold, and then brown. Their price had been marked down because of the season nearing the middle of autumn.

"You're right, he's angry because we disturbed his garden."

"Where are you getting that from?" Alphonse asked.

"Cassidy does fit in with the case since the kidnapper goes through phases. He thinks of them as his wildflowers. Redheads, now blonds, and for all we know he could move on to dark hair. Just like flowers in a garden. He kills them and plant them in his garden."

"That was no garden we found Regina in." I reminded him.

"Not to you and me, but to him the graves he leaves them in he sees as his garden."

"Are you saying he's killed the other girls as well?" Alphonse's voice broke a little.

"I don't know yet, but Regina's already gone, and I think the man Jeanna described may have something to do with it. This man is pretty sick if you ask me. He might not keep them around much longer."

I cringed at the thought. Edward could be right. The kidnapper did not want any ransom money for the girls, nor did he have a personal grudge against either of the families. So, why would he have any reason to keep them alive?

"So, are we going to tell the Starks?" I crossed my arms.

"Somebody has to." Edward sighed.

As I suspected, the Starks were not at all surprised by the news we had for them. Although, they were grateful to us for letting them know what happened. The eyes of Regina's parents held sorrow and expectancy. Once we finished talking with them, several thuds sounded from the steps. A boy with the same red hair and eyes as Regina stood in the doorway of the living room.

"Mom, who are these people?" His eyes watched us.

Mrs. Stark tugged on the sleeves of her sweater. "They are State Alchemists, sweetie. They're here to find out who's taking the children, and they said they found Regina."

Immediately, the boy's eyes brightened. "They did? Where is she? When is she coming home?"

Mr. Stark held his hand out to his son to approach him, the boy complied, weaving around us. "Cameron, she won't be coming home."

"But you just said that they found her." Cameron's eyebrows pinched together in confusion.

"Yes, they found her," Mr. Stark nodded sadly. "But she won't be coming home."

Cameron glanced at us, and then over at his mother who sat on a chair nearby, dabbing a cloth on her red, tear-stained face before turning back to his father. "Something's wrong." He spoke in a low, hushed tone.

"Son, they found Regina buried by the river." Mr. Stark inhaled deeply.

"What?" The boy's eyes flashed. He turned around, capturing the grave expressions around him. Shaking his head, he backed away from his father toward the stairs and clenched his fists. "She's not…She can't be dead. I don't believe you. You're lying to me! You're all liars!"

He spun around, shoved me out of his path and stormed up the stairs. Seconds later, a door slammed causing the ceiling beams to rattle as it echoed throughout the house. I could not blame the boy for acting out of anger, and I had managed to stumble when he shoved me. Edward seemed to mind at the boy's assertive actions. His eyes narrowed, and very distinctly, I heard his teeth grinding together behind his closed lips.

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Stark bowed her head. "He's taking the news of his sister very hard, and things haven't been easy on him the last couple years."

"It's okay, Mrs. Stark." I rubbed the area on my stomach where he pushed me. "He must have been very close to her."

"I'll go up and talk to him." Mr. Stark said and headed for the stairs.

Edward adjusted the hood on his jacket. "We should go. Sorry we couldn't bring you any good news, Mrs. Stark."

The woman smiled sadly. "We already knew."

I pursed my lips as those words washed over me. Coming to their home was completely pointless, and I loathed myself for pursuing the matter.

"But I do want to know this…did she suffer?"

The tattered t-shirt appeared in my mind as I figured out a way to break it to her with gentleness and compassion. Difficult as it was, Alphonse spoke up and rescued me.

"She did struggle, Mrs. Stark, but Mr. Reid said she died fairly quickly."

She clasped her hands in front of her. "Thank you for coming over. We're very grateful you let us know about Regina."

As we crossed the front yard, I turned and looked up to the living room window. Mrs. Stark stood in the middle of the room, covering her face with her hands. Mr. Stark had just come in and embraced his wife, one of his hands cupped the back of her head. Cameron was nowhere to be seen since all of the shades of the upstairs windows were drawn.

Heat filled my chest as my grieving turned to anger. How could someone cause so much depression and sorrow in a family? Whoever this kidnapper was, I was determined to never let him take another child. He had stolen five girls too many and soon, he would be sorry he even glanced at them. I would make sure of it.


	21. Chapter 20

_The one-hundred-year-old school house stood on top of the hill surrounded by children playing, laughing and running in its courtyard. Some were playing hopscotch, tag, swinging on the swing set, or huddled together close to the ground looking for bugs. Each one of them had a friend or a group to accompany themselves. Except for her. She displaced herself on a swing hanging on a tree branch and watched them from her sanctuary. Whether her face held the look of loneliness and longing, or pure observation, I was not sure. _

_She sat there for a while, her red hair flowing in the breeze. Then she turned and looked straight at me. Judging by her expression I figured she wanted to be sure I was watching her. Then, she stood up, and walked over to the school house, where she disappeared around the corner._

* * *

Their whispers worked their ways to my ears before I opened my eyes. Letting them know they woke me would only be the end of their discussion, whatever was important for them to be talking in the middle of the night. I laid on my side, facing the wall, and tried hard not to twitch from waking up so suddenly.

"I have a feeling there's a lot she hasn't told us, Al. We don't know if this has happened before, otherwise it would come naturally to her."

"She might be suffering from trauma, Brother. She could have blocked that part of her life out, like when she was locked in her uncle's house. The things she must have seen and heard while she was in that basement. I can't imagine what it was like."

It was silent for a moment, then Edward spoke up. "It still doesn't explain how she could've had a dream about where Regina was. How often does that happen? Unless she's psychic or something, I don't see how she just knew."

My stomach tightened. The tone he had used lacked faith and trust. Lying still would be a challenge after that comment, but thankfully I managed.

"Maybe she's very intuitive. It's obvious she trusts her feelings and uses them in a practical way. She can act out on them once her mind's made up. In a way, she's like you, brother."

Silence again. I was unaware of Edward's reaction, and the urge to peek over my shoulder was almost too much to bare. However, I stayed in one position, waiting for his answer.

"Well, I'm afraid she could be too intuitive for her own good. All that would do is lead her to trouble. We'll talk about this later, Al, unless we wake her up."

Alphonse sighed. "Yeah, okay. Good-night, brother."

"Good-night, Al." Edward yawned audibly. His cot creaked softly as he shifted to a more comfortable position.

Falling asleep now would be a challenge. How long had they been talking about me before I woke up, and how was I involved in their conversation anyway? From the sounds of it, they acted as if they hardly knew me.

_Don't be dramatic, Kale, _I told myself. _They're right to question what's going on because you haven't told them everything. There are some things you are keeping to yourself. _

* * *

I had noticed the tattoos on my back four years ago, when Clyde and Marie took me in. After finishing my bath during the first night, I saw something black just behind my shoulder. Thinking I had missed a spot, I tried brushing it off with my fingers, but it absorbed the water from my fingers as if it were a part of my skin. Scratching it off did not help, but then I saw more of it on my lower back. I panicked and jumped out of the tub to check it out in the mirror. The black line was not just on my shoulder. It reached across from one shoulder to the other in three arches, the second just shy of the base of my neck. Two lines curved near the second, forming what resembled cobra heads. The entire thing looked like a bird with its wings fully stretched. Although, this bird was anything but majestic as any other. The first and third arches were the tips of its wings, and the second looked like its beak. It plunged down the small of my back, forming into a straight line, the ends tipping sharply like arrow heads.

I remembered staring at it in horror and thinking, _How long has that been there?_ Something did happen the night Julius disappeared, and if I had not passed out, I would know exactly what he had done. The symbol was not at all unfamiliar to me. There were drawings of his all over the walls and ceiling in his laboratory. It was an exact replica, and it was on me.

The next step I decided was research. Julius was an alchemist, so the best thing for me was to find out what he did and why.

However, the local library did not have any books on the subject, so then I thought I was out of luck. Until the day I came across Clyde's library and found a basic alchemy book. It was the start of a long and enduring journey through the world of alchemy. At the time, I only wanted to know about the symbol on my back and what it meant, but before I could run, I had to learn to crawl before proceeding to walking.

The transmutation circle engraved to my skin amplified and augmented my ability of using alchemy. Upon learning this, I had to be careful because it always zapped my energy. A couple times, I passed out on my bedroom floor whilst practicing, and in the end I had to conserve myself, lest I were to end up dead. Thinking it was best not to rely on the circle, the flow of alchemic transmutations became easier using actual materials. As time wore on, I was able to transmute bigger objects without using up so much energy.

Still, I had not figured out what Julius had done, but I was hoping with the help of Edward and Alphonse I would come to the answer. Then, my goal was to build up and help heal the people of my second hometown whom Julius had hurt during those years. Though the process was long and tedious, I was not discouraged. Sure, there may be a few missions to go through on the side, but as a dog of the military one has to follow orders.

These thoughts lulled me to sleep. My last thought was to tell Edward and Alphonse soon about the result of being locked up in my uncle's basement. When I find out exactly what happened.

* * *

The next morning, a wonderful and delicious smell wavered through the room. I rolled over and saw Alphonse opening the window. The cool morning breeze blew lightly inside the room and swept away the fatigue from my head. I let out a soft sigh and stretched my arms over my head.

"Good morning, Kale." Alphonse said.

"Morning, Al." I smiled at him, squinting from the morning sunlight. I sat up and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Seven. Not too bad, considering I was not a morning person, but this time I was able to wake up and not feel groggy.

"Did you sleep well?"

I nodded, knowing fully well that aside from waking up to hear him and Edward whispering to each other, sleep did come easily to me soon.

"I smell breakfast." Edward sat up and rubbed his eyes. Several strands of golden hair had fallen out of his braid during the night. I silently watched him, capturing the vulnerable movements he made after just waking up. I felt a smile along my lips.

"It's cooking downstairs. Did you sleep well, brother?" Alphonse asked.

"Sure. My stomach's growling from the smell." He pushed the covers off and jumped up to vacate to the bathroom to wash up.

"I never thought of him as a morning person." I said, slowly making my way out of bed and over to my suitcase to pick out my clothes.

Alphonse chuckled. "Yeah, he can be when he smells food. That always wakes him up."

I sat on the edge of the bed and laid my clothes on my lap. My mouth watered from the scent. "Mmm, I can't blame him."

"Who can't we blame?" Edward suddenly walked out of the restroom, and I almost choked on my saliva. Why had he chosen to take his shirt off? He had a wonderful wiry, muscular frame, auto-mail arm glistening in the sunlight, and his skin held a light bronze hue. Good grief, was it hard to take my eyes off of him. A blush worked its way up my neck up to my face. Fortunately, I was able to tear my gaze away and mentally scolded myself, especially for the sensual thoughts settling in my head.

"You, for being a morning person once you smell food." Alphonse told him.

I took my chance and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. Leaning against it, I worked on settling my heart rate down. In the room, Edward muttered to his brother, "What's her problem?"

"She's probably embarrassed. You should make yourself more decent around her."

"Well, she could've said something!" Edward sputtered.

Surprisingly, Alphonse chuckled. "Her actions said plenty, brother. I don't think she had to say anything."

Once I was ready, we headed downstairs to the dining room across the lobby. Five families occupied some of the tables scattered around the room. Against one wall there were three tables pushed together covered with dishes of eggs, bacon, pancakes, sausages, oatmeal, muffins, coffee, orange juice, and grapefruit. I helped myself to a bowl of oatmeal, two slices of bacon, a glass of orange juice and sat at the nearest table.

"Quite the gourmet they have here, don't they?" Alphonse remarked as he sat next to me.

"I'll say!" Edward grinned and took his seat. Instantly, he scooped a forkful of pancakes and shoved them in his mouth. "Mmm, my compliments to the chef!" Within minutes, his plate was half empty.

I chuckled. "At this rate, Ed, you may eat the chef out of his house and home."

He paused his chewing and narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you saying I have no self-control?"

"No, of course not." I shook my head and desperately tried to stop the smile on my face.

He shifted in his seat. "I have no idea what you're talking about. This food is incredible and someone has to show appreciation here."

"Absolutely." I agreed. "What I meant was that there may be not enough room for your appreciation." What was going on here? This was completely unlike me to act this way. I was teasing him for the thrill of it.

He set his fork down on his plate and scowled. "There may not be enough room in here for your sarcasm."

"Easy you two." Alphonse interjected. "Let's not start the day off bantering."

Edward nearly spit out his food. "Bantering? Where the hell did you get that idea, Al?" He pointed his fork at me. "If she's only joking, then I'd hate to see her serious face."

Inwardly shrugging off that comment, I picked up my orange juice and took a sip. It was unnecessary to push the matter farther since the intension was not to insult him. However, with his short temper he took it the wrong way anyway.

"Mr. Elric, Ms. Jensen?" The voice was so close and sudden that I jumped and nearly inhaled my juice. Clearing my throat, I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

Edward regarded the speaker over his forkful of food. "Sherriff?"

Despite his quiet palpable tone, his face was solemn. "There has been some activity by the old school house, and we found something I think you may be interested in."

Hearing that, my fingernails dug into my palms as the dread inside increased. Was it _the _old school house, or could there be more than one in the area? _No, no. Life isn't always this kind. _I thought.

"What kind of activity?" Alphonse asked.

Ray paused as if thinking the best way to approach the subject. "It has to do with your investigation. Could you please follow me?"

I inhaled deeply, and then stood up with Edward and Alphonse to follow Ray to the schoolhouse. With my head pulsing from my racing heart, I wondered how many times this could actually happen. It was almost impossible to believe. No, it _was_ impossible to believe. However, I was on my way to be proved either right or wrong very soon. My head swam as my eyes glued to the ground.

I felt a nudge at my shoulder. "You alright, Kale?" Alphonse asked, concerned. "Your face is pretty white."

I smiled uneasily, hoping that would cover the emotion on my face. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Edward was walking ahead of us next to Ray. He must of have heard us and glanced back at us, then his eyes rested on me. Desperately trying remain remote, even though my neck suddenly felt hot as my heart hammered even harder, I kept eye-contact with him, hoping to send him a nonverbal message that there was nothing to worry about. He blinked twice before turning back around to continue talking with Ray.

"You sure?" Alphonse asked again. "Are you afraid of what we might find out here?"

I shrugged and contemplated on how much to reveal to him. "A little…" I trailed off. There was no point to denying what Alphonse was already hinting. It was not going to be easy to completely open myself to him of what I was thinking. Baby steps were the best thing at the moment.

"We found her by the swings near the schoolhouse." Ray said. "We're thinking the rain may have washed away most of the shallow grave."

The three of us were silent for a while. "Do you have any identity on her?" Edward asked.

Ray nodded slowly. "There was a lock of hair with her. Even though she was buried there months ago, it appears that the killer may not have thought this one very thoroughly, otherwise we would have never found her."

"He's getting slippery." Edward mumbled.

"That, or he wanted us to find her for some reason." I thought out loud.

"Yeah, maybe he's dangling this one in front of us just to mock us." Edward agreed.

The schoolhouse had come into view now, just as it did in my dream. It rested on top of the hill, looking dead and empty. Very different aside having kids running around it like it did back in its heyday. As we got closer, it seemed to transform into something evil and grotesque, almost demonic, staring back at us and daring us to approach. I ignored the panic and the bile rising in within me, and followed Ray and the boys. I longed to have someone walk beside me, but keeping my eyes on their backs gave me enough strength to proceed.

Ray led us around the back of the schoolhouse as the images from the dream came flooding back. I struggled to keep control of my emotions and placed my hand on the wall of the building. As the small grave came into view, I leaned against and rested my head on the rough shingles. _And…two down, _I thought.

"We wouldn't have found her if it wasn't for a group of young boys playing where they shouldn't be." Ray remarked. "They came into my office with a handful of the bones and told me where they found them."

"Is there any way to tell who she is?" Alphonse asked.

Ray shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not yet. The first thing I did when I found out was find the three of you. The only way I knew she might be one of the missing girls is the small frame and the size of the pelvis."

"And we don't know how he's killing them yet. Whether he's poisoned or strangled them." I paused and looked over the grave. "Do you notice any physical signs like a broken bone or fractured rib?"

"Once Dr. Reid takes a look at her, we'll know for sure." Ray replied as he bent down to peer closer at the body. "Although, there are not any obvious breaks or splits that I can see."

"What happened to Regina?" Edward asked, crossing his arms.

"There were multiple stab wounds on her abdomen. Judging by the size of them, it was done with a hunting knife."

I cringed, and Edward cursed under his breath. "Either way, we're dealing with a typical sicko here."

"There's nothing typical about kidnapping girls and killing them." I shook my head, biting my lip.

What scared me the most was the possibility of finding more girls buried under the cold earth. They had been gone for five to twenty-five months. After just one month, everyone would give up hope and rely on the conclusion that they all were dead. The concept behind this was very hard to swallow. For I had been looking forward to finding every single girl alive and well. Even though we were two for five, I was starting to lose hope.

Soon, Dr. Reid had shown up with his equipment, and once he finished examining the body he was able to say this girl was Lane Gaiers. When she was very young, she broke her tail bone falling out of her tree house, hitting the ladder as she went down. As her tail bone healed, the muscles in her lower back and pushed the discs in her spine out of place. She complained from time to time about having back pains. It was hard to contemplate a young girl to be in agony that way.

Next came the hard part. Ray told us the Gaiers lived about ten blocks from the old schoolhouse. They were not all that surprised about Lane when we arrived there. Although they were grateful we told them. Though Lane's older sister Sage seemed to take it the hardest. She almost broke down in tears as she left the room. I found her in the kitchen standing in front of the sink gazing out the window. She was holding a glass of water. Before I even approached her, she spoke.

"It's my fault." She said, not moving from her spot. "I was supposed to be watching her, and I went into the other room for a few minutes. When I came back to check on her, she wasn't on the swing anymore."

I stood there in silence, waiting for her to go on. She hesitated and sipped her water. "There were…some friends of mine at the door asking if I wanted to hang out with them. I did want to, and I could've ditched Lane off at the neighbors to stay there, but lately my parents have been watching me closely because I've sneaked out too many times to go to parties and dances. So, they put me on probation. I reluctantly told my friends no, and maybe there'd be another time, and then walked back into the kitchen. When I looked out at the playground, she was gone."

She tapped the glass with her finger. "I called and called for her. Soon, I was getting really frustrated that she left the yard. She was gone for almost two hours by that point. I didn't know how to tell mom and dad when they got back. I felt awful."

"It's not your fault." I assured her. "These things happen. They've been happening around here a lot."

"It is my fault!" She slammed her glass in the sink. "I left the room right when she was taken!"

"You were answering the door, it's not like you were on the phone and deliberately ignoring your sister. You made the right choice in not going with your friends."

She was silent as she continued to gaze out the window and started chewing on her fingernails. It was hard to tell if she was actually listening or trying to tune me out by grinding her teeth.

Edward walked in to the kitchen at that moment. "Hey Kale, you ready to split?"

"Sure," I nodded, then said to Sage, "Hang in there, okay?"

She responded with a mere shrug of the shoulders and then walked out of the room.

Rubbing the back of my neck I headed for the foyer where Edward and Alphonse were waiting for me. It was hard during a time like this to heed someone else's advise, much less your own. After we bid our cares to Mr. and Mrs. Gaiers, we walked back to town. Mid-morning had already passed, and the normal tour crowd populated the streets once again. What was surprising is that the town still had its businesses thriving despite the kidnappings. One would think there would not be very much action in such a situation.

The boys were talking to each other, but I was not listening until my ears perked at my name.

"Are you up for something to eat?" Alphonse asked.

"Uh…no." I shook my head. Eating was far from my mind at the time. "No, thanks. I think I'll head over to the hotel."

Edward scowled puzzlingly. "You feeling sick?"

I shook my head again. "No, I just don't have an appetite right now." Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I turned down the road. "I'll meet you guys there."

"Okay, Kale." Alphonse replied. "Rest easy."

"Thanks Al, I'll try." I waved at him. Edward silently waved back. Though he looked tired as well, I knew he would not pass anything for a meal.

The walk back did not feel as relieving as I thought it would be. Every step I took, my stomach felt heavier and heavier. All in all, it probably was a good idea not to go with Edward and Alphonse. I would not have been able to eat much anyway.

I arrived at the hotel room, closed the shades, and laid down on the bed. The fatigue was not strong enough for me to fall asleep, but the energy to do anything else was gone. The only sound was the blood rushing through my ears as I stared at the ceiling, hands clasped and resting on my stomach. Turning my head, I gazed at the gloomy light casting through the dark shades. The restlessness made my nerves cringe. I sighed heavily and draped my arm over my face. I couldn't tell how long I laid there like that in the quiet, when the next thing I knew there was the sound of a key turning in a lock.

Edward had walked in, took one look at me and asked, "Were you sleeping?"

I almost said no, but my voice would not cooperate right way, and my arm felt extremely numb over my face. Slowly rising to a sitting position I asked groggily, "Where's Al?"

"He's talking with a few of the people we met at the café. He wanted me to come here to make sure you eat something." His eyes watched me as I gingerly rubbed my face and combed the cow-licks from my hair with my fingers.

"He's making sure I eat, is he?" My voice was high and husky.

"Unless you want him to worry even more about you, you should anyway. Besides, your body won't make it if you don't." He began to turn toward the door, but his gaze stayed locked on me.

"No, no, I'm coming." I said. Checking for my room key in my pocket, I followed him out the door.

"Al's worried about me?"

"You left without much of an explanation. He wondered if something was bothering you."

I stared down at the carpet. "Kind of. We probably won't find every single girl dead or alive, and I wanted to find them all alive and bring them back home where they belong."

"Whether we find them all or not, our objective is to find the clues and put this killer on trial so there won't be any more victims." Edward responded, "He's moved onto blonds now and we have to watch out for that."

"How are we going to keep our eyes on every blond girl in town?"

"This may sound crazy, but I think one of the parents may be in on it." Edward interjected.

I stared at him. "Where did you get that idea?"

"We don't have any major suspects, but in a case like this, anyone could be one." He pointed out.

"Why would a parent do such a thing?" I shook my head.

"That's what we're here to find out." He frowned. We had reached the hotel restaurant by then where there were still tables of food left from lunch. Edward walked over to the nearest table and pulled out a chair. "Here. Sit." He indicated.

"I'm not your dog, Ed. I'm your partner." I scowled.

"The faster you cooperate, the faster we can get moving on this mission! Now sit!" He stomped the chair on the floor in irritation, causing a few people in the room to turn and stare at us. Not wanting to cause a scene, I complied and flinched a little as I sat, thinking he would shove the chair up to the table and squashing me. However, he didn't. He pushed me gently to the table and then headed for the food, grumbling something under his breath as he walked away.

Placing my elbow on the table, I rested my chin in my hand and watched him spoon food on a plate. _Which Ed is it that I'm crushing on? _I wondered. _The one who's mischievous and sly, or the one who protects his brother and shows much affection to him? One minute he's a gentlemen, the next he's screaming at someone who called him a shorty. Talk about an enigma._

The bell above the front door jingled as Alphonse ducked through, trying not to bump his head. He saw me waving at him and raced over.

"I found some information from one of the locals at the café." He said, sitting down next to me.

"Really?" I blinked. Edward had arrived with my plate of food and two mugs of coffee, one was for him I assumed.

"It turns out," Alphonse leaned in closer, continuing in a hushed tone, "that Mr. Wilson isn't originally from here. He started off in two other towns in different names."

Edward quirked an eyebrow. "That's interesting. Do they know where he came from and what his names were?"

Alphonse shook his head. "No, they don't. But I do know who we can go to that kind of information."

"Sherriff Ray?" I forked a piece of ham in my mouth.

"Yep. Though there's no telling how much he knows of the town's history. He's new on the job."

Edward sipped his coffee. "It shouldn't stop him from knowing or finding out."

I nodded, and then glanced down at my own coffee. I was not a drinker of it yet, but wanting to be polite, I took a very small sip and cringed from its bitter taste.

"Who were you talking to there, Al?"

"Richard and Keaf, remember? They've lived here for quite a few decades and said that Tom Wilson hadn't been here for very long. He also doesn't socialize with people all that much."

"So, how did they know he changed his name?"

"Richard used to be an officer here and saw his old and new name in the records just before he retired."

"But it doesn't say where he came from?" I asked, taking another bite.

"It doesn't." Alphonse shook his head. "However, Sherriff Ray can track down his old name from other towns."

"I hope we don't end up with two different cases here." I said before eating the last bite of my potatoes.

"We'll find out soon enough." Edward nodded.


	22. Chapter 21

"Thomas Wilson. Or formally known as Thad Woodrow, or Ted Clark. However, I wasn't able to get my hands on his birth certificate, since neither of those are his original name." Sherriff Ray set down three documents on his desk.

"He's been running for a while." Edward commented, scowling down at the papers. "How long did he stay in each town?"

"About six months in the first town, Belisaria. Then a year and a half in Gremont. I still need to speak with the people there and ask them if they knew of anyone by those names to see what kind of reputation he had."

I sat slouched in my seat, my arms crossed over my abdomen. As fishy as this Thomas Wilson sounded, the fact of us chasing after another case completely was nagging me. Still though, what kind of impression would it leave on Mustang if we found this guy out who had three different names? However, I was too unsure to voice my opinion. We didn't even have a name to the killer.

"It's surprising you were able to find out about him so quickly." Alphonse said.

"We may have only scratched the surface," Ray shook his head. "There's no telling when a brick wall will show up."

"Either way, it sounds like Wilson is hiding something." Edward said. "And we should keep an eye on him anyway."

"He seemed pretty nice when we saw him at his house." Alphonse said.

I thought back on the day we went by the Wilson's and how genuine he was toward his grieving wife. Clearly he was upset about his daughter's disappearance as well. There were many possible reasons behind this man having three names. I didn't want to put the blame on him. Not just yet.

"Is it possible that he knows the killer and he's trying to run from him?" I asked.

"That's one observation." Edward said, raising his eyebrows. From that simple gesture, I felt my heart do this skittering thing from my chest and up to my throat. I was pleased by Edward's comment.

"Could he have been a part of their group, drop out, and then change his name so they wouldn't find him again?" Alphonse asked.

"If so, what was it that made him leave? Did he get in touch with his conscience or something?" Edward pondered.

I nervously twiddled my thumbs. "Guys, shouldn't we focus on the task at hand first? This might be a different case all together."

"Not unless this killer is trying to get Wilson to confess something." Edward pointed out. "I think they were old buddies."

"What exactly would he be trying to confess him of?" Alphonse asked.

"Not sure." Edward shook his head. "It could be that his friend is just trying to get Wilson in trouble because he left."

"Either way, we'll be speaking to him soon." Ray commented.

"Soon?" I asked, raising my eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes." Ray stated slowly as if I were falling behind. "You wanted to get to the bottom of this case didn't you?"

"Well, yeah…but…" I knew that once we had a suspect, we should question them immediately. But I wondered if we were working a little too fast here. The plan from my point of view was to track down the killer using the girls as a pattern and figure out his trail, which Edward had done on his own. Now, it seemed as if we were grasping at straws.

"We didn't get a chance to question Wilson very much last time." Alphonse remarked.

"Yeah…" I agreed, nodding slowly, beginning to break.

"I've been wanting to anyway. There's something about him that doesn't settle with me very well." Edward said.

_Something about that whole house sets my nerves on end. _I thought, remembering how the chills ran down my spine and the dark shadows surrounding my senses. That sort of thing should not be ignored, no matter how important it was for me to find the girls alive and bring them home first.

"You let me talk to Wilson. The three of you need to focus on finding the other girls before they all end up dead, and before he gets a hold of other girls." Ray said.

"Right." I nodded reluctantly. _Oh, we'll find them alright, _I thought. _We'll find them buried six feet under._

The case was not getting better as the days went on and we found more clues. Each time we seemed to have a lead, the killer would slip between our fingers like sand. He was cunning, conniving and one step ahead of us every time. If we made one false move, another little girl could become a victim. We were lucky to save Jeanna in the nick of time. However, she doesn't fit his pattern of hair color. Her hair was too dark, so why did he chase after her that night?

Or maybe he was chasing her away from something. He may have something else we have not yet found that he did not want her near. The realization made my blood rush in my veins as I thought about the shed. The three of us did not inspect it very well the first time we were there.

I glanced up to tell the brothers my thoughts when I noticed they were far ahead of me. I must have slowed down as I was thinking. "Hey, guys." I called out.

They both stopped and turned around in unison as I walked up to them. "I think we should go back to the shed." I said softly, not wanting to be overheard. "I've been thinking that whoever Jeanna saw that night didn't want to kidnap her and was possibly chasing her away from something."

"You want to go back there and look around?" Alphonse asked.

"Yes." I nodded. "We should search more thoroughly and see what we can find."

"Let's go, then." Edward said, and then marched toward the edge of town by the woods.

If I wasn't following my gut instinct, I would not have chosen to go back to the shed. My stomach was tightening at the thought of it, but I knew we had no other options at the moment. There could not be a single rock left unturned. The killer had to be stopped and those girls had to be found.

The walk to the shed felt longer the second time as the sun began to sink in the sky from mid-afternoon to early evening. The clouds turned to hues of pinks and purples as we ascended into the woods. Then the shed appeared, as if out of nowhere. Maybe I had not been watching for it as we rounded corners and over hills. It sat there. An empty box of rotten wood.

Edward walked up to the door Alphonse had made earlier and tugged on the handle. He almost had the door completely opened before he looked at the ground and then slammed the door shut. His abrupt action made Alphonse and I jump.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

Edward didn't answer. He continued to stare at the ground with a shocked expression.

"What is it, Brother?" Alphonse asked cautiously.

"Someone's been here." Edward whispered and pointed at the ground. Someone had been there, and it wasn't too long ago either. The footprints rounded from the corner from the opposite direction.

Suddenly, Edward pulled the door open and rushed in.

"Ed, be careful!" I whispered harshly as I walked in after him. "We don't know if this person could still be around."

There was a noise behind me, and I whipped around, rubbing the chill from my arms. My eyes scanned the surrounding trees, but the only thing that moved were the branches fluttering in the breeze. By just the footprints and my own outburst, my mind began to play games with me.

"If someone was here, they're long gone by now." Edward stated from inside. "The floor in here is pretty scuffed up like they were looking for something."

Alphonse ducked his head through the low doorway. "Does anything else look different?"

I stuck my head inside and took a look around. Sure enough, the dust that rested on the wooden floor had been disturbed and there were a few dirt clots from their shoes scattered about. Whoever they were, they were not very careful with leaving evidence behind. Then, I noticed the chair.

"Guys? Wasn't that chair against the other wall?" I pointed at it. The chair that was once resting on the wall in the corner was now sitting against the opposite wall.

Edward stared at it for a while before walking to it. "It was." He pulled the chair away and studied the wall, and then stared at the other one. He stepped forward to look at it closer, when his foot made a louder _thunk _as it hit the floor. He froze, looked down, and stomped again. _Thunk. _He knelt down and began pulling at the floor boards.

"Ed, why can't you just transmute the door?" I asked, hurrying over to his side.

"Don't need to." He replied, still pulling the floor boards up. "There's one already here."

Alphonse didn't say anything as he helped his brother lift up the dry wooden door. It creaked and groaned against the pressure. Once it was set aside, the three of us looked down and saw a long and very narrow swirling staircase leading below the ground. Cobwebs draped like curtains over the entry way. I shuttered at the thought of what could possibly be living down there.

"Huh, that looks inviting." Edward quipped with a grin.

I moaned at his witty comment and leaned over a little to see further down, the stairs seemed go on into a sea of blackness. If we had a lantern, then there wouldn't be as big of a problem. Then I had an idea. "Stay here, I'll be back."

I hurried outside and scanned the trees around me. I had to have a branch large enough to handle the electric current. Unless I wanted to make a lot of noise and telling the whole town where we were, I would have used the lightning to strike down a branch myself. A little further away was a long and thick branch resting on the ground. The lightning from the last storm must have hit it and sent it falling.

I picked up one end of the branch and bent it back as much as I could, then kicked it at its' weak point as hard as I could, snapping it in half. The sound of the wood cracking caused the boys to run out of the shed.

"Kale, what do you think you're doing?" Edward shouted.

"I'm making something." I said. This was only done once in an experience of mine and I hoped I had the right formula in my head as I set the two branches in position. Trying carefully not to actually set them on fire, I drew the diagram in the ground with my finger and placed my hands on it. There was a small popping sound, and then a hum. Suddenly the two branches began to glow a bright blue color. Satisfied with my work, I picked them up and walked over to the boys.

"These will do." I told them with a grin. "They won't burn us and they won't go out as easily."

Edward stared at them with his mouth agape. Alphonse possibly would have had the same look, but it was hard to tell underneath his metal helmet.

"How did…?" Edward started, pointing at the glowing branches.

"I'm not too sure." I stated matter-of-factly. "It was something that happened on accident once when I first learned alchemy. The trouble is I didn't write it down, so remembering exactly how I did it was hard at first. This is for you." I held it out to him.

"Kale, that was amazing!" Alphonse exclaimed.

Edward took it and examined it in his hands. "I'm impressed." He smiled at me.

The blush spread from my face down to my collar bone and I began to feel very hot. Those golden eyes of his made me swoon all over again.

Rubbing the back of my neck, my voice shook a little as I said, "I-it's no big deal, really. It's just…something…I…" The words left me standing there blushing like mad as I continued to rub my neck, and then finally I was able to find my tongue again. "Come on, we have a staircase to go down."

We walked back to the shed and as Edward led the way down the stairs with his new flashlight, I began to mentally scold myself. _THAT was stupid. "Come on, we have a staircase to go down."? You couldn't say thank you to him? You are a dimwit._

Ahead of me, Edward slowly pressed downward, testing every step with his toe and then the next one. The wood seemed to hold together for us, but it painfully groaned under Alphonse, who just barely fit in the small spiral staircase.

With a loud crack, the next step broke underneath Edward. He leapt forward and slammed his arms on the next step. His stick fell below, casting an eerie glow on the walls of the staircase before it crashed to the floor.

Alphonse and I shouted out a chorus of "Ed!", "Brother!" and "Are you alright?"

He groaned as he pushed himself up. "Watch out for step number thirteen. I hope you're not superstitious, Kale."

I shook my head before slowly and steadily stepping over the void to the next sturdy piece of lumber. "Are you?"

"Nope, not in the least." He replied. "I'll be needing your flashlight."

I handed it to him and we continued down the shaky steps, skipping over steps number thirteen. And sixteen. And eighteen. At the base of the stairs was a large wooden door. Edward pushed against it and moaned as it opened, revealing a hallway lined with stone. On the ceiling a hook where a lantern used to hang reflected in the blue glowing light as blackness yawned beyond it.

"This must have been used centuries ago when people escaped during the wars." I breathed in awe at the structure.

"I think it was built for that purpose." Edward nodded.

"Amazing!" Alphonse said. "The towns people probably don't know it's here."

"One person obviously does." Edward said. "Come on, you two."

Alphonse and I followed as Edward led us down the long hallway. The air was dank and thick with dust, and I was grateful that I didn't have any allergies. Then, something glittered in the corner of my eye. I looked and saw something tiny resting against the wall.

"Ed, come here." I said, gesturing him over to bring his light. He did so, and the small object became clearer. I gingerly picked it up.

"Do you know what this is?" I asked him in awe.

He blankly stared at it. "Uh. A pin?"

"Not just any pin." I told him with a big smile on my face. "See here? These marks were used to tell if the person who wore it was a Colonel or a General. This thing is so old they don't even use this design anymore!"

"That's quite a find there, Kale." Alphonse remarked peering closer at the pin.

"Someone of the State must have been down here during the wars." Edward said. "So, that means the State knows about this place, too."

"Do you think they're the ones who built this passage way?" I asked.

"Who knows?" Edward shrugged. "However, if they started those wars, then they probably didn't build this, but they do know it's here. Let's keep going."

I put the pin safely in my pocket and followed the boys down the hall. For some time it didn't seem like it would end. We could have gone around the whole town of Dupol twice. Finally we reached a set of stairs leading up to a door. Edward trekked upward first, testing the stairs out. Once he reached the top safely, Alphonse and I followed suite.

Behind the door was a large room, equipped with tables and chairs all around in a circular pattern. At the other end of the room was another staircase heading up. The three of us walked up the stairs, glancing out the windows as we did.

"Wait a minute, I know where we are!" Alphonse said.

Edward nodded. "Yep, so do I."

"Wait, I don't. Where are we?" I asked.

"We're in the church. Just a couple blocks down from our hotel." Edward told me.

_What? How can that be? _I wondered, then looked again out the windows. Sure enough, there were the shops and restaurants of Dupol. The passage lead us from the middle of the woods about three miles out all the way back to the center of the town.

We reached the top of the stairs and found ourselves in the large, gothic sanctuary. Through the stained glass windows, the sun pricked the ancient walls with reds and pinks. It was nearly sunset. Walking out of the church, the three of us stood there.

"Well, where did that lead us to?" I asked the boys. "Is someone in the church involved also involved with the kidnapping of the girls?"

"There's no telling yet." Edward said. "But we do know how the killer has been getting around."

"We should tell the Sheriff about the passage way." Alphonse said.

"Right." Edward nodded. "Let's go."

We set off just as dusk began to settle, and people headed for their homes to prepare dinner or spend time with their families after a long, hard day of work. Soon, the streets were vacant as we reached the Wilson's neighborhood. I glanced down the road towards their house as we passed by and saw Ray and some of his officers scattered in the front yard. I stopped walking and motioned to the boys.

"Guys, look. There's Ray."

"How long have they been there?" Edward started to head down the street. "Hello, Sheriff!"

Ray looked up from his discussion with one of his subordinates. "Oh, good, you three are here. I was going to send my assistant down to your hotel and inform you of the news."

"What happened?" Edward asked.

Ray had a grim look on his face and hesitated before answering. "Thomas Wilson is missing."

"What?" Alphonse exclaimed. "Missing? How?"

"That coward." Edward frowned as he growled and crossed his arms over his chest. "All that did was make us more suspicious of him! Is he really that stupid?"

"How long has he been gone?" I asked Ray desperately.

"Mrs. Wilson hasn't seen him in a couple days," Ray gestured towards the porch where Mrs. Wilson was sitting on a bench. Her forehead was wrinkled in anxiety as she wrung the end of her skirt in her hands. "She said he left without a note or an explanation where he would be. It's been really hard on her because she thinks it's her fault that he left."

At that, my heart sank for her. She did not deserve to have her daughter abducted and her husband leave her at the same time. There was so much sadness in this town with the children being taken away from their homes for no reason. We had not come across any grudges being held against those families, at least not yet. Obviously, this killer held something very sinister and dark inside of him to seek harm on those who were innocent. It made me sick to my stomach.

I walked away from our little group and headed toward the porch. As I climbed the stairs, Mrs. Wilson heard me and glanced up in surprise. I stood in front of her for a short while, not really knowing what to say at first. I tried not to give her a look of pity, but rather of understanding and compassion. Easing my posture a bit, I finally asked her, "Is there anything we can do for you, Mrs. Wilson?"

She slowly lowered her head and began to squeeze the ends of her skirt in her hands again. Her voice barely whispered, "Just bring me my baby back, please."

Squaring my shoulders in determination, I replied, "You can count on it, ma'am."

As Edward, Alphonse and I left the scene, I noticed that she did not ask to bring her husband back as well. What did that mean? Did she think he had something to do with Annsly's kidnapping? I wrapped my arms around my chest.

"Guys, we may have another person who suspects Mr. Wilson."

Edward looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "His wife?"

I slowly nodded my head, then stated blatantly. "You're very intuitive, Ed."

"I was watching you talk to her." He replied. "She said something about finding Annsly, but nothing about him."

"Poor Carol." Alphonse sighed sadly. "This must be eating her up inside to think her husband might be involved."

"She probably didn't trust him very much." Edward said. "But still, we need to keep an eye out for anymore potential victims. Remember the pattern?"

"Yeah, but how are we going to warn the town?" I asked.

"Keep them on high alert and have Ray send out a notification all over the town. That way the killer will know we're onto him."

"What if that makes him even more angry?"

"Then we'll be right on top of him, ready to spring and capture him."

I was silent as the words sank in. The principles seemed plausible from one perspective, but there was a nagging assumption that something could turn the tables at the very last moment. Everything could be lost.

Alphonse must have heard the heavy sigh escape through my nose because his heavy metal hand rested on my shoulder. "Everything is going to turn out alright, Kale." He assured me.

"Are you always this nervous?" Edward turned and asked. A small smile played on his lips.

"Only when I don't know the outcome," I replied, tearing my glance away from him to the trees lining the road. "I'm just concerned. That's all."

"Well, like we said, everything's going to-" A growl sounded around us as Edward's eyes grew large and round. Silence lingered for a couple seconds before I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the giggle.

"When was the last time you ate, Brother?" Alphonse was laughing a little, too.

"I…don't remember, really. Probably this morning." He smiled sheepishly.

"Same here." I said. "Food will make things better for us."

"Hear, hear!" Edward stated heartedly.

**Author's Note: Hi everyone. I know it's been ages since I've updated, and the only excuses I have are life, school, camp, and being very sick for a long time. Every time I had an opportunity something else would come up and interfere. Don't worry though. I'm not abandoning WitD and I wouldn't live with myself if I did. I hope everyone is having a great summer! :)**


	23. Chapter 22

It was not long before we received the notification on how Wilson disappeared. The police had found a knife that was stained with blood and buried beside the back porch of his house, and his car was gone as well. An old man was walking by the river and noticed a pair of headlights just below the water's surface. He reported it and the police towed the car out, discovering that it belonged to Wilson. The only thing left in the car was the large blood stain on the driver's seat. What I feared was the conclusion of leading to the fact that Carol might be involved. And it did.

I had tried reasoning with Sherriff Ray about her. Even though the evidence pointed to her, I would not believe that Carol was the murdering type. It was true she was going through a lot of hurt and stress from losing her daughter, but there was no way she would resort to that sort of heinous act. However, everything lead to that presumption. If she really was stricken with fear, loneliness and hurt, maybe something broke inside her and she really did go after her husband.

Lying on the bed in our hotel room, I stared at the ceiling as these thoughts rolled around in my head. It was crazy to think that this case would be easy. We would find the girls just locked up somewhere, unharmed, take the kidnapper in, perform a trial in Central, book the guy and it would all be over.

_I must be lost in nostalgia or something, _I thought, rolling over to my side where my notebook laid open on the bed. _You only hear of those things happening in stories._

Staring blankly at my notes I had scribbled down, a thought hit me. _What if someone is framing her? It could be the kidnapper. Maybe-_

Edward walked out of the bathroom wearing a tank top and shorts. His golden hair was down and still wet from his shower. The moment he walked into the room, my tongue had swelled up in my throat. As much as I knew I had to quit staring at him, I could not find myself to.

He walked by me and roughly tossed my hair. "Hey."

"Hi." I replied flatly, brushing my hair back with my fingers.

"Where's Al?" He asked, picking up a brush he left on the table and began working on tying his hair back.

"He's still downstairs talking to the lady." I said, shifting onto my stomach and resting my chin on my hands.

"Really? They've been talking a long time." He said. His brush found a knot and he started to yank through it.

"You think they're still talking about the same thing?" I asked. It had been two hours since Edward and I left Alphonse.

"Who knows." He clenched his teeth as he forced the brush harder, but the knot would not break.

"No, no, no." I got up from the bed and walked to him, taking the brush from his hand. "Here. You never yank on knots."

"I know what I'm doing, Kale! Give that back!" He made a quick grab for the brush and almost snatched it, but I knew what he was doing so I was ready to hold it out of his reach.

"No, no," I said again. "I'll help you."

"The hell you will. I don't need your help!"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "It looked to me like you did."

"I don't! Now give me back the brush." He stepped forward until he was inches away from my face. His golden eyes piercing into mine made me tremble a little. He certainly had his own way of domineering. Just as I moved my arm to give him the brush his expression softened.

"Alright, fine." He turned his back to me and crossed his arms.

I hesitated while staring at his long hair reaching down the middle of his back. "You're letting me?"

"Yes!" He stated.

Slowly and gently, I ran the brush through the ends of his hair and worked my way up. Once I got closer to the middle I found the knot. As tender as possible, I made the brush pick at the base of it until the strands of hair were free. The process was longer than I thought it would be. Each time I worked through a section I found another that was worse than the first.

_Is this from braiding his hair a lot? _I wondered. Surely he kept it neat if it was so long. Maybe he just could not get the tangles out very well. Does Alphonse usually do it? I imagined the large suit of armor doing something like this for Edward with his big, round fingers. The idea struck me funny and I smiled a little.

"Hey, Ed?" I asked gently.

"Yeah?" Came the answer.

"You don't think Carol had anything to do with the murder of her husband, do you?" I was in the middle of the knot now, but I was still trying to be as tender as I could. The memories of my mom brushing my hair when I was little and using the brush to claw at my scalp came back. Not that she was trying to hurt me. She just did not know what it was like to have long hair.

"The police haven't found his body anywhere, so there's no way to know if he's actually dead or not." He said.

"But they found blood all over the driver's seat, and they confiscated the knife that was buried."

"That doesn't mean anything." Edward replied. "He could still be alive out there somewhere. Obviously he's hurt, so running away will slow him down quite a bit."

I was quiet again, still working on the stubborn tangles that seemed to love Edward's hair more than I did. "But you don't think Carol is involved in this, do you?"

"I don't know yet." Edward replied gently.

The silence lingered between us once more, but it was not uncomfortable. More like compatible silence, even though I was tossing the clues around in my head. The tangle was finally giving in when I reached the top of his head. I ran the brush through a few more times just to make sure I had not missed anything else.

I held the brush over his shoulder for him, but instead he held up an elastic band to me.

"You want me to braid it, too?" I asked hesitantly.

He peered over his shoulder at me. "Yeah. Go ahead."

"Oh…okay." Tossing the brush on the bed, I took the band and wrapped it around my wrist and then divided his hair into three sections.

As I braided I brought up the subject again. "I think Carol was framed for all of this."

"You do?"

"I don't believe she would kill her husband after losing her daughter. She wouldn't have any other life left for her after that. She would want to keep her last remaining relative close to her. If Tom was a part of some organization before and he suddenly goes missing, why wouldn't they want the attention kept on his wife?"

"Hmm…" He didn't say anything else. His braid was finished, but I absently ran my fingers around it as I waited for him to say something else. It did not look as good as he would have done. The braid seemed thicker and tighter, instead of flat with bigger weaves and against his shoulders.

Edward turned around to face me and said, "I owe you another one."

I blinked at him. "Another what?"

"Another favor." He folded his arms and a smirk appeared on his lips. "Remember? You rubbed my head when I had a headache, so I repaid you by giving you my coat on the first night we were here. Now I owe you another one for getting the knot out of my hair."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ed." I said, crossing my own arms. "You don't have to pay me back."

"That's not how an alchemist thinks." He pointed out. "We stand by equivalency as our abiding principle. Since you did something for me I paid you back, and when you returned the favor I'm keeping the cycle going."

"And we'll do this for each other for the rest of our lives?"

Edward shrugged. "However long we stay together, I suppose."

"How are you going to return the favor, then?" I asked.

"Don't you worry, I'll find a way." Edward grinned.

I was not sure if I should look forward to it or be completely nervous about it. Sometimes there was not an easy way to tell with him.

Edward walked over to his cot while stretching his arms in the air. "Well, I think I'll head in. It's getting late."

I suddenly remembered someone. "Is Alphonse still in the kitchen?"

"Possibly." Edward said, sitting on his bed, though looking more alert at the mention of his brother. "Lucky for him, he doesn't need sleep. He'll come up when he's ready."

I rubbed my arms, feeling unsure. "Maybe I should check on him."

"He's fine, Kale." Edward dismissed with a wave of his hand. "He and whoever that woman is are having a fine discussion."

I sat on the edge of my bed. When we left Alphonse in the dining room, he was having a conversation with a woman who looked to be in her thirties about the history of the town. Turned out, she was the historian of Dupol and she was very pretty. There was a sweet and gentle nature about her, which Alphonse seemed to take into liking very quickly. Soon, Edward had gotten impatient waiting for their talk to end so he heading back up to the room with me right behind him. I was not comfortable with the idea of staying and feeling like a third wheel. Since then, Edward read from an alchemy book he had while I started writing down the clues we had so far.

"I guess so." I sighed, and without another word, I took my pajamas from my suitcase and went in the bathroom to change for bed. By the time I emerged, Edward was sound asleep with his arms over his head and his mouth hanging half way open. The blankets were drawn up just to his waist and one foot was peeking out over the edge of the cot.

_How long was I in there? _I wondered, glancing back at the bathroom. It could not have been more than five minutes. Setting my clothes on my bed, I walked over, carefully pulled the blanket to his chin and tucked his foot in. Before going back to my bed, I knelt down by his bed and watched him sleep for a little while. He seemed so defenseless lying there, his chest rising and falling with each breath. His bangs had slipped back from his face and spread across his pillow. I longed to reach out and trace his jaw line with my fingertips but I didn't dare.

When I realized what I was thinking I ripped my gaze away and stood up. A tomato could not have been redder than my face was at that moment. Taking my clothes I thrust them into my suitcase and shut the lid. Then turning off the light and settling under the covers, pulling them up to my chin I told myself that my and Edward's relationship could not be anything more than platonic.

I must have fallen asleep for only a moment before suddenly choking and coughing myself awake. Darkness loomed everywhere, so it was still the middle of the night. Gasping for air, I turned and looked at the alarm clock. There was a dark fog surrounding it, making it difficult to read the time. Straining my eyes to see, I was suddenly hit with another wave of coughing, followed by a burning sensation in my eyes.

_What's going on? Why is it so hard to breathe?_

It was then the door burst open. Alphonse's large form dominated in the doorway. Behind him I heard people shouting and screaming. I tried to sit up, but my limbs would not obey. Smoke. Pungent, thick black smoke was everywhere and obliterating everything.

"Al! What is it? What's going on out there?"

"There's a fire next door! I have to wake Brother up. We've got to go out and help!"

Edward was already awake and sitting up in his bed coughing violently. He vigorously shoved the blankets aside, grabbed his coat and suitcase. "We gotta crawl out of here, guys."

I followed the boys out of the room as we made our way down the hall, trying to stay as close to the floor as possible. The heat was so unbearable, it made me dizzy. I lost sight of Edward and Alphonse a couple of times from nearly blacking out. Suddenly, I heard a wail right beside me.

A pair of pink, fuzzy slippers and a white nightgown came into view beside me. I looked up and saw a child standing paralyzed against the wall.

"Are your parents anywhere?" I asked her.

Vaguely, I saw her shake her head in the depths of the smoke. "I can't find them! They're outside, but I don't know how to get there!"

"Okay, follow me. I'll take you to them." I remained calm for her sake since she was panicking enough. Taking her hand in mine, I led her down the hall.

With every step it was becoming harder and harder to breathe, let alone see. The girl beside me was coughing and sputtering in the smoke, and my own lungs were burning. After several agonizing steps, there was the sound of people shouting and bells shrilling through the smoke. Then the outline of the exit appeared in front of us. I took her by the shoulders and shoved her through the door before she managed to suffocate.

My body was fighting against me. A few more seconds and I would lose the ability to breathe and see. My limbs were like lead, and for a short moment I thought I was not going to make it outside. I was going to suffocate to death.

"There you are. Don't you worry, miss, I've got you." A disembodied voice said.

I felt a blanket drape around my shoulders as the fireman lifted me in his arms.

A few seconds later, we made it outside and my lungs caught wind of the fresh air. My coughing returned, this time harsher, causing my body to tremble.

"Just breathe nice and easy, you'll make it."

As we moved away from the hotel, I looked over the fireman's shoulder to see the building next door engulfed in flames. The roof of the hotel was also on fire and soon it would be swallowed up by the flames. Nothing would survive that. I mourned for those who lost their businesses, but as quickly as it came, the moment passed. There was a crowd of people watching the buildings, and I prayed that everyone got out safely.

I continued to look around. Where were Edward and Alphonse? It would not be hard to miss Alphonse amongst a crowd since he stands two feet above everyone else around him. But his familiar form was not anywhere. If I spotted him, then I knew Edward would be right beside him.

"Ed…Al?" I coughed out one last time.

The fireman set me down. "You're going to be fine." I felt a slight prick in my thigh. "I've got you, Kale."

My mind started to go fuzzy and my limbs grew heavy once more. My head drooped until my chin touched my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, something caught the light on the fireman's chest. It was a silver coin on a chain with a picture of an ox engraved on it.

_The ox…Jeanna…_

Before I had time to panic, the fog took over my mind, and then there was nothing but darkness.

The sounds of the alarms, people shouting, and the engines roaring were swallowed up in silence. My ears rang loudly against it. I tried opening my eyes, but to no avail. My body was so heavy, it was as if my blood hardened to lead. I did not know where I was, or how much time had gone by since I lost consciousness.

Flames. I suddenly remembered the flames and the smoke. The girl looking for her parents, and the fireman. Edward and Alphonse. The fog in my head cleared instantly. Where were they? Were they alright?

I squirmed, trying to move at all as the anxiety of their whereabouts settled in. However, my body refused to cooperate. I ached all over and my legs were numb. I tried to lift a hand to my face, but it would not budge.

Slowly and painfully, I opened my eyes. Immediately, the smell of dirt, decay and dust hit my sinuses. The air was dominated by mold. Soon, my sight cleared and I took in the view of the room, or the cellar-which may express it more accurately.

Wiggling my fingers, I felt rough fibers of a blanket beneath me, and the cold metal frame of a cot. I was tied down. Lifting my head a little, I noticed ropes tied around my arms and legs. The dread inside of me increased as I gently laid my head back down.

_Déjà vu. Who knew I would be back in this scenario, _I thought.

He had me. After all this time of secretly wondering if he was even alive, and working my way to fix what he had destroyed, he grabbed me back into his clutches once again. Instead of fearing for my life, the anger surged within me.

"I'm going to make you regret what you've done! And not just because you think you got me back!" I screamed as loud as I could.

Just then, a door creaked and I knew he was there somewhere in the shadows. I sensed his evil before he entered the room.

"So, you're awake. Very good." He stayed in the shadows, watching me.

"What have you done with the other girls?" I demanded.

"That's none of your concern anymore. You, the blond kid and the armored man came too close to my girls. The moment you stepped into town you caused nothing but trouble. How long those friends of yours remain safe depends entirely on you."

"Why don't I believe you?" I snarled.

He laughed. "Because you don't trust me. I can't understand why, but I'm not really surprised, since you are female after all. One cannot expect you to understand everything."

I narrowed my eyes at his hulking form. "I understand enough to know that you're sick!"

Suddenly, he moved, and a small ray of light from the room from behind him illuminated his face. I stared in horror at the face of the man whom I met the first day I arrived in Dupol. The look in his eyes sent shivers down my spine, sending any impressions of his kindness out the window.

"You? But…how? Why?" I gasped.

"Now you know that I can no longer let you live, Kale Jensen." Thomas Wilson grinned evilly.


	24. Chapter 23

I almost didn't believe my eyes as he walked across the room with a rope in one hand and a knife shining in the only light that came through a small window by the ceiling. His breathing was fast and heavy as if the adrenaline was racing through his body. The aroma from his mouth filled my nose and intoxicated my sinuses. I coughed once it reached my lungs.

Once he cut the ropes around my arms and legs, he yanked me off the cot. "We're going for a little walk."

"You killed those girls." I seethed. "You tortured and made them suffer to death! Did you do the same to your daughter?"

His eyes flashed angrily. "I did not kill her! You people don't understand. You think life and death are something special. Something to be grieved over like precious jewels. You build monuments over a pile of bones, and for what? To ease your minds that you may not have been as nice to them as you should have been. And you call me sick? Death is death. People live only to die."

"Those people who die leave behind people who loved them!"

"Loved them?" He spat the words as if they held poison. "Don't tell me about that worthless emotion! Fathers can love their children, but they have no problem leaving them when a pretty woman comes along. So much for love when lust comes calling."

"What about the mothers who are grieving for their lost children?"

"Don't talk to me about those useless creatures." His eyes narrowed darkly with a violent hatred. It made me wonder what his own mother had done to him to make him hate them so. I never thought that I would have something in common with a criminal. As much as I empathized with him, it made my stomach lurch that I had at all. I began to hate myself for of it.

He pulled me out of the room and slammed the door shut. Ahead of us was a narrow wooden staircase below a pair of double doors, and I realized I was in a storm cellar. We went through them and came out in a small clearing by the edge of the woods. Miles away, there was a hill with the shed that Edward, Alphonse and I were looking in the other day.

_Man, we were so close to catching this guy, _I thought, devastated.

With a shove, he flipped the wooden doors closed. One stayed shut, but the other lay askew against its hinges. He swore under his breath and shoved against it again, this time locking it in place. Then he pushed me toward the woods.

"Where are we going?" I asked, stumbling over my feet.

"For a walk. Get going!"

I felt my pulse beginning to race, and my mouth was drying out. There had to be some way I could free myself without him noticing. Fortunately, I still had the piece of chalk in my back pocket. If I could only distract him somehow while I reached for it. However, that wasn't going to be very easy since he kept pushing me as I stumbled over the uneven ground and tried to avoid fallen tree branches. Some had scratched and stabbed my shins as I was forced through them.

We walked for what felt like hours, but it may have been only minutes. There was a valley that came into view as we descended down the hill towards it. He led me to a tree near the bottom and shoved me against it, nearly knocking the wind out of me. Then, in a swift motion, he tossed the rope over a branch, shoved me against the tree again and tied the other end of the rope around my neck. He pulled harshly on the other end, forcing me up on my toes. I let out a strangled yelp as the rope began to close my throat. He was going to kill me right there and then. _Just a little longer, _I thought to myself.

"There's one thing I want to know." Wilson said, sticking his hand in his pocket. "Surely, you're aware that your Uncle Julius was a highly skilled alchemist. From what I've heard, he created something using you."

My ears were ringing so loudly, I could barely comprehend what he was saying. "Created something? What do you mean?"

He stepped toward me slowly, took his hand out of pocket and pulled out something a small, red stone.

All it took was a glance at it to freeze the air inside my chest. My muscles began to twist in agony, and a burning sensation spread from my head to my toes. I fought hard to stay conscious as my eyesight began to darken. Strained screams escaped from my throat. Then the pain began to subside until it faded completely away.

"Just as I thought," Wilson said, slipping the stone back in his pocket. "He actually did it. The years and countless research he must have done to make this happen."

He paced a little in front of me before turning toward me. "How did he do it?"

"What?" I managed to croak.

"Tell me how he accomplished this experiment using you!" He demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I heaved.

"Don't lie to me!" He snarled. "Don't even think about covering for him either! You were with him for a year and you never noticed anything different about that house of his? You never heard the screams of agony deep within the walls?"

He approached me until he was inches from my face. The aroma from his mouth filled my nose. "He made something through you and I want to know what he did. Tell me everything!"

"I don't know anything, I swear!" My voice broke as I shouted through the ropes that tightened my throat.

"Yes, you do!" He screamed.

"No, I don't!"

He turned and hissed out a curse. Walking away, he began to clench his fists tighter with every step. Suddenly, he stopped and stood very still. He spun around, yelled and threw the stone at my chest.

My body absorbed it immediately. White hot pain shot through me and I threw my head back and screamed at the top of my lungs. It was even more of a challenge to stay conscious, but he seemed to plan on killing me this way. The world around me was growing dark as my screams broke through the trees. I felt my body grow more and more numb overtime, and soon there would be nothing left.

Just when I was on the verge of giving in, there was another scream that made my spirit soar.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

My bonds were cut, and then I fell and landed on…something. Not the ground, but I was almost floating, like someone was carrying me. Then, my sight and hearing were snuffed out like a candle burning its' last flame.

* * *

_The ground was soft underneath me. That was the first thing I noticed. Also, there was a delicate sweet smell had filled the warm air, and the breeze ruffled the grass against my arms and bare legs. I slowly opened my eyes and saw a blue sky above me with clouds scattered about. _

_This was odd. The sky wasn't this clear the last I remember. I sat up to take a look around and found that I was sitting in a field with a few trees and hills in the distance. A little farther were purple mountains lining the horizon. On my right was a lake bluer than any other lake I had ever seen before. This place was gorgeous. _

Did I die or something? _I wondered as I gazed at the scenery._

_Suddenly, there was a shriek to my left and I spun around to look. At the base of the hill I stood on were three kids, two boys and one girl, running and chasing each other. All three of them were blond. They were running around a yellow country house playing a game of tag._

_Suddenly, the boy being chased turned around. I recognized him immediately._

_Edward._

_I cupped my hands around my mouth and tried to yell for him, but no sound came. I tried yelling again but there was nothing but silence. It was as if the wind was carrying away the sound of my voice. _

_Just then, I heard another noise; a moan. To my right, there was a tree with someone, or more like something lying in the shade. Never before had I seen that kind of animal. I wasn't sure what kind it was because it was lying in the shade and there was no definite way of telling either. It seemed to have traits of several different animal traits._

_Suddenly it moved and turned its' head toward me. I caught my breath and stood very still. As I stared at its' face, the blood in my veins went cold. The face was almost human, but I could make out the features right away and knew who it was._

_Dad._

_His eyes were blood red and his teeth were long and razor sharp. The beard on his face was the only thing I really recognized about him. Every ounce of me was prepared for a long and healthy scream, but I was frozen stiff. I couldn't move no matter how much I tried._

_There was a loud roar and for a split second it looked like he was going to lunge at me. That was when I felt the strength to scream._

* * *

I felt a twitch and my eyes snapped open. The first thing I saw were curtains hanging from the window next to the bed. Wait, it wasn't my bed. It wasn't the bed from the hotel either. Where was I?

Blinking a couple times, I looked around the room. I tried to turn my head but the pain made me stop moving immediately. My head was not the only thing that hurt either. My throat felt as if it was on fire and my limbs felt as heavy as lead. I was lying on my side so I could not see much around me. Then I saw Al.

He sat with his back against the wall almost hunching over. The familiar light from his eyes was gone. He looked like a machine that was hibernating.

I took a deep breath and croaked his name.

"Al."

The light in his eyes came back immediately as he lightly gasped. "Kale, you're awake! How do you feel?"

"How do I look?"

"Awful." Al replied with sympathy.

"That's how I feel." I stated.

"I'm so relieved that you're awake though." He said.

"How long was I out?" I whispered. My voice no longer allowed me to use it even at a soft pitch.

Al shrugged. "Not long. Just over night."

I nodded slowly and sighed. "So, where am I?"

"We had to take you to the hospital." Al told me. "Right after Brother set you free, I carried you off away from him and Wilson. You were very pale and there was an ugly red mark around your neck."

I blinked at him as his tone softened. There was a subtle change in his body language as he slumped over a little more. His large metal head sank.

"For a moment I…wasn't sure if you were going to make it."

I smiled at him. "Aw, Al," I whispered. "I'm okay, really."

"I know." He sighed. "It's a good thing Brother is a fast runner."

Something in my mind sparked. "Where is Ed anyway?"

Al looked over me. "Oh, he's still sleeping." He reached over me and shook what felt like a person leaning against the bed. "Brother. Brother, wake up. Kale's awake."

There was a groan of protest as the blankets shifted from Edward trying to resist his brother's attempt to wake him up. I tried to roll to my other side to see him better, but every muscle in my body was in agony. Pain shot through my legs causing me to inhale sharply and clench my jaw.

"Kale, what's wrong?" Edward asked in alarm.

The pain was there briefly and then faded. Every muscle in my face relaxed as I opened my eyes. "It's nothing." I whispered to him. "I'm fine now."

The boys shared a concerned look.

"Looks like we might be in Dupol a little longer than we planned." I smiled at them.

"Well, even if you weren't in the hospital, we would've had to stay for the trial anyway." Edward replied.

"They caught Tom?" I asked.

Edward nodded. "Or Thaddeus, if you want to get technical. This guy was caught with twenty-seven counts of kidnapping little kids and predicated murder."

"Twenty-seven?" I exclaimed in shock. "Why was this guy crawling around and killing that long? Why wasn't he caught sooner?"

"The important thing is that he can't anymore, Kale." Al said. "He can no longer hurt any little girls and cause pain."

I sighed through my nose and stared at the ceiling. As much as I knew Al was right, I couldn't help but think that twenty-seven was too much. Even six was too much. Those lives were gone and there was no hope for them.

"Another important thing is that we found Annsly." Edward said.

"You did?" I raised my eyebrows. "Is she alright?"

"She's alive, if that's what you're wondering." He smiled at me. "They found her at an adoption agency in another town about fifteen miles down the road. Once that town got word that there was a girl named Annsly Wilson missing, the agency brought her back to Carol. Luckily, she wasn't hurt."

I stared blankly at the boys taking all of this in. It was hard to believe the tricks this killer was up to.

"Annsly's with her mother now, so everything's fine." Al assured me.

There was an overwhelming sense of fatigue that came over me like a wave. I laid my head against the pillow and gave in to it and closed my eyes.

"We should let you get some more sleep." Edward braced his hands on his knees to stand up. "You're losing your strength just by talking."

"Where are you going to go?" I asked keeping my eyes closed.

"Back to the hotel for a bit." He answered. "I have to fill out my military repot before we head back."

My eyes opened. "Oh yeah, so do I." I said regretfully.

"Don't worry about it. You can fill yours on the train ride back. Remember how long it took us to get here?"

"Mm-hmm." I replied closing my eyes again.

"Let's go Al."

"Okay. Rest easy, Kale. We'll be back soon."

"Hey, Ed." I croaked, trying to his attention before he disappeared through the door.

He turned and looked at me. Waiting.

"I owe you." I smiled at him.

His gold eyes rested on me as remote as a wide open prairie. Then recognition kicked in and he blinked. His eyes grew even brighter.

"Don't be stupid. You don't owe me a thing." He smirked.

"Alchemists follow the rule of equivalent exchange, don't they?" I moistened my chapped lips.

"You think you can surpass me saving your life?" He asked, his smirk turning into a grin.

"I'll find a way." I replied, giving him a smirk of my own.

"Yeah," He tapped the doorframe before heading out the door. "Get some sleep."

* * *

"All rise."

The hushed whispers of the court room ceased as everyone came to their feet. Everyone except Wilson. "The honorable John M. Garrickson now presiding."

I glanced over at Wilson who was sitting next to his attorney. His hands were cuffed and lying on his lap. He wore a bright orange prison jumpsuit, and still held his head high and straightened his shoulders.

I watched his eyes glance around until they rested on Carol. She stood several rows behind him off to the side. She was watching him too. Her face was red and her eyes were wide with fear. Then slowly, his lips curled into a sneer before turning his attention back to the guard standing next to him.

My own face grew hot with resentment. He looked so confident and bold. A humbling smile on his face, as if he were enjoying himself while playing another round of his sick game.

Beside me, Edward and Alphonse had their attention on the district attorney, who was addressing the judge.

"Yes, your Honor," said the attorney. "An agreement has been made."

My forehead creased as my eyebrows drew together. Agreement? What sort of agreement?

The judge pushed his glasses up with his finger as he shuffled through the papers. "Your client understands the terms of this plea bargain, Mr. Lynch?"

"Yes he does, your Honor." Wilson's attorney replied as he stood up.

"And is he in full agreement?"

"Yes, your Honor."

I blinked a couple times, trying to process what was going on. This murderer was supposed to go to prison for the rest of his life. He was supposed to be found guilty.

The judge motioned to the attorney.

"Let's begin then."

The attorney lifted a document in his hands. "The city of Dupol charges the defendant, Thomas Allen Wilson, also known as Thaddeus Woodrow, with twenty-seven counts of kidnapping of a minor and predicated murder."

"How does your client plead?" The judge asked Wilson's attorney.

"Guilty, your Honor."

So, he was admitting it. In a way, I hoped that he would say there was a big misunderstanding. Deep down, I hoped he had not done those horrible things, at least for Carol and Annsly's sake.

I looked at Carol. She sat there with her hands in her lap, scrunching her skirt in her fists. Her shoulders trembled slightly.

"Mr. Wilson, in order to exchange for a life sentence with no change of discharge, you have agreed to plead guilty and answer to certain questions asked by this court. Is that clear?"

Wilson slowly rolled his eyes as if he were too bored and replied, "Yes, your Honor."

The judge nodded to the attorney. "Proceed."

The attorney turned to Wilson. "Did you plot with Linette Militello to kidnap and keep your daughter hidden for the purpose of selling her to an adoption agency without the consent of the mother, Carol Wilson?"

"Yes." He stated.

"Why did you?" The attorney asked, turning to look at Carol before glancing back at Tom.

"Getting rid of the brat was the only way. I had to confuse the police so they would stay off my tail. Once they began to the investigation, the company Linette and I stole the money from caught on."

_Man, this guy is deeper than we thought. No wonder it took this long to capture him, _I thought.

"You then killed Linette Militello, and disposed her body in the river?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I no longer needed her. She was starting to feel guilty about taking the brat, even though she was at my every whim before. I had to kill her before she did something stupid."

"Like tell the police and notify the Central Headquarters."

"Yes."

"Did you then fake your own death in order to frame your wife, Carol Wilson, for the murder?"

"I did."

"Why?"

Wilson sighed, clearly bored from the seemingly meaningless questions. "She whined all the time about losing her precious daughter. It made me sick to my stomach. So, I decided that prison would be enough to toughen her up." He turned and smirked at her. "I hated her and wanted to show her how much misery she put me through."

"Who was the man in the grave?"

Tom shrugged nonchalantly. "Just some drunk I picked off the street. He was a nobody."

The attorney then began to list the names of the missing children, starting from the first victim that fell to him fifteen years ago. Once he reached the names of the girls I was familiar with, my heart sank to my ankles. I cradled my head in my hands.

Edward's automail hand began to caress my shoulder. Though it was cold and hard, the gesture spread warmth to my stomach.

"This is what we're here for, Kale." Edward leaned in close and spoke gently near my ear. "He had killed for pure pleasure and lied to cover his tracks. Destroyed people's lives without an ounce of remorse. We brought justice in and made things right. We came and did our part."

"His attorney tried to get him to plead insanity, but he refused." Alphonse whispered to us.

"He's sitting there with that mocking grin on his face. Like, this whole thing was some kind of big joke." I worried my bottom lip to keep back my outburst. "What kind of person does that?"

"A monster, Kale." Edward replied, his eyes grew dark as he glared at Wilson. "This is nothing to him. He probably thinks he can still get away with this."

"How can he?" I sat upright. "He's going to prison for life. He's going to die there."

"Maybe he thinks he can escape somehow."

_Not on my watch, _I thought. The mere thought of him escaping made me nauseous. It was unimaginable that man such as him would be loose in the streets again.

* * *

**Author's Note: I know what you're thinking. "Oh my gosh, she IS alive." Yes, I am. And I would like to say that my life has gotten extra busy this past school year. There were two musicals I was involved in, plus I'm on my last year in college and working overtime credit-wise. So, now that summer has started for me, I'm sure these updates will be coming along more often. Thank you all for your patience as this story slowly rolls along. I have not abandoned this one and I don't plan to!**


	25. Chapter 24

It never ceased. Over the countless long hour drives with Claude and Marie during our summer trips to Claude's parents' home, it was either my stomach or my head that complained. Now, the three-day train rides didn't make a difference. My head throbbed painfully with each pulse that raced through me. Someone was clearing their throat and I slowly opened my eyes.

The Colonel watched me with a blank expression with his chin resting against his hands, elbows on his desk. It was hard to tell if he was going to give me a hard time or not. Clearly he had more heart than that after hearing what I had just been through.

"I'm aware of what you've been through, Lightning." He said. "However, your attention is needed since I'll be giving you some important information."

I lowered my hand and sat up straighter in my seat to attempt to heed him, but my head began to swim even more. I blinked a couple times to focus my eyes better and then turned and looked at Edward. He sat there slouched in his seat, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at the Colonel. The train ride wasn't very smooth for him either. The two of us had finally got some sleep during the voyage and I woke to find myself with my head on his shoulder. I remember jumping in my seat and backing away from him, my face flushing as red as a tomato. I hoped that he fell asleep before I did so he wouldn't catch me falling asleep on him.

"The two of you managed to catch the killer in a matter of days after he slipped through the fingers of the authorities for years." Mustang spread our reports across his desk, skimming the descriptions of the case. He picked mine up, glanced at it and then raised his eyebrows at me.

"So tell me, Jensen. How exactly did you come upon the graves?" His dark eyes scrutinized me as if perusing me to get to the point by telling the truth.

I purposely left out the part of my dreams giving me visions. The images of the girls running through the woods and leading me to their bodies were still fresh in my mind. At times I saw them even just by blinking my eyes. I didn't want to include that in my report by showing the Colonel that I might be a little insane to be seeing dead people.

"U-um…well, I…" My throat was dry from my mouth hanging slightly open while deep in thought as I tried to come up with a good explanation.

"You gave us a mission to figure out where these kids were disappearing to, right Colonel?" Edward shrugged and folded his hands behind his head. "We did our part by following the research and the clues we found and went from there. Enough said."

A mixture of relief and annoyance filled me. It took a weight off my shoulders to know that Edward was trying to cover for me, but I didn't find it necessary for him to lie like that by giving such a brief reason.

"You knew where they were buried, didn't you Jensen?" Mustang ignored Edward.

I raised my eyes and regarded him. He regarded back and I knew I could not make something up to protect myself. He already knew.

"I didn't at first, sir." I told him, shaking my head.

He continued to gaze at me, then looked at Lieutenant Hawkeye and nodded. She nodded in response and then turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

"You had premonitions, didn't you?" He said with a quiet intensity.

I started and sat back farther in my seat. Edward's foot slipped off his knee and banged against the floor.

"H-how do you know this?" I asked.

"When I read your file and saw your background, the name of your uncle Julius jumped out at me. There isn't an authority figure in the country who doesn't know what he's done to the people of the town he lived in…and to you." His dark eyes pierced through me during that last statement.

Hearing this, my breathing became shallow and my heart pounded against my sternum. For a while, there were no words queued in my brain. I felt paralyzed.

"That's why Wilson took her, isn't it?" Edward exclaimed. "But how _did_ he come to know about her?"

"I asked myself the same thing and I think it's because he either once worked with Julius or he did up until the three of you found him out. Julius has had many people work for him over the years ever since he started his experiment. Some are still working for him today and the investigators have come across their names but their whereabouts are unknown."

"So if they don't know _where_ they are then how did they learn _who_ they are?" Edward asked.

"There have been many sightings from bystanders over the years, although some of the investigators have made up names for these subjects." Mustang tapped the desk with his pen. "We also know that some of them travel in pacts and tend to wear the same clothing as each other."

My mind suddenly flew back several days to the train ride to Dupol before everything started. I remembered seeing a group of people sitting in the car with us a few rows down all wearing the same type of clothing as each other. I didn't pay any attention to them because I figured they were a part of some cause that wanted to change the world with some wishful thinking.

"Colonel, I remember seeing a group of people like that on the train to Dupol." I told him.

The Colonel's eyes sparked a little. "Did they get off before you, or were they already on when you got on the train."

"I didn't notice them until about halfway through the trip." I shook my head. "Though I don't think they got off before us, and they definitely didn't get off with us."

Mustang folded his hands on top of his desk. "That means they headed east." He gazed at the surface of his desk for a moment as a pregnant silence lingered in the room. Occasionally, the sound of footsteps paced back and forth in the hallway.

Regarding Mustang again, I noticed there was something he wanted to ask us but he seemed to be dwelling on whether that was necessary or not. Then he stood and walked to a file cabinet in the corner of the room. He pulled out a manila envelope and placed it on his desk.

"Do either of these people look familiar?" He asked opening the envelope. Inside were documents that looked like criminal records with pictures of people attached to them. Most of the pictures were out of focus and so blurry that anyone would have a difficult time recognizing them. Some didn't even have their faces showing, but their outlines as if they were taken at night from several feet away. However, one stood out to me. His grin glowed in the photo like a full moon on a dark, starry night. A shock of black hair curtained the right side of his face. I glanced at the name that he was supposedly given.

Keegan.

"Him!" I exclaimed and pointed at the photo. "I saw him on the night of the ball, just before the hospital caught on fire."

"That guy?" Edward leaned up to scrutinize the photo. "Are you sure it was him?"

"Well, I could sort of see him. His face was half lit by the moonlight." I looked up from the photo and to Edward, without realizing he had leaned over so much his face was inches from mine. His face was pinched in a small scowl, his golden eyes which usually carried warmth and mystery were now hard, and flickered a little as the wheels in his head turned.

"Are you sure it wasn't just a trick of the light?" Edward asked. His eyes remained on my face, causing me to squirm inside.

"He was…tall…and kind of muscular." I tried hard to focus on Keegan's outline instead of Edward's face, and his innate smell.

Edward suddenly sat up and faced the Colonel. "Wouldn't that make her a witness?"

"To a point," Colonel nodded. "She didn't see where he came from and where he disappeared after the explosions."

"But what about those voices we heard in the gardens?" Edward mused. "Colonel, did you see anyone there before they took off?"

"No one was there." He responded almost immediately. His face was completely solemn.

Edward and I were silent as we stared at him. "Um, are you _sure _you didn't see anyone." Edward asked, his scowl growing deeper.

The Colonel merely stared back at us as his face remained solemn and expressionless. "Unfortunately for you, I cannot reveal that information to you. This matter is for the police and those of the military who are involved in the investigation."

"Kale _is _involved in the investigation!" Edward pointed at me. I felt my face and neck grow hot. I looked sideways at him and shook my head. "She's the one who saw him, and you said she makes a valuable witness."

"She does not have enough information. She did not see where he came from, or where he vanished to afterwards." The Colonel stated.

"She, who? I'm right here!" I glanced back and forth between Edward and the Colonel.

Edward and Mustang both turned to answer me when a sharp rap at the door interrupted them. Mustang growled and glared at the door as Lieutenant Hawkeye burst into the room without waiting for a reply.

"Sir, sorry for the interruption, but we can't hold him back any longer."

"What?" Mustang asked.

Before the lieutenant could answer, there was a rush of movement from a giant mass that almost knocked her over. A second later, everything stopped and I realized the giant mass was a person.

He was tall with a muscular build. The sunlight pouring through the room glared off of his round, bald head. A blond handlebar mustache sported over his mouth, and his sharp, bright blue eyes pierced the room. It took me a while to realize I was gawking at him.

"Major Armstrong, what is the meaning of this?" Mustang yelled. "I'm in the middle of a status report!"

"My sincere apologies, sir" the tall man bowed, his bass voice boomed in the small room. "I come bearing news about new sightings of the terrorists in your region."

"My region?" Mustang frowned. "We just got a report saying they were heading east."

"I'm not so sure about that, since one of them walked into our office and confessed. He turned himself in."

"Turned himself in?" The Colonel replied incredulously.

"Could this be a sign of a guilty conscious?" I asked, still gaping at the large man standing in the doorway.

Edward shook his head. "Nah, I don't buy it. His friends could be using him as a spy or a distraction in order to take advantage of the state."

"Even so, there's one more thing that may come as a shock." The Major indicated by lowering his voice. "He claims to know the Lightning Alchemist and wishes to see her."

I gasped and gripped the back of my chair as I felt the blood drain from my face. _He knows me? How is this possible? _I thought.

Every eye in the room was fixed on me. Some were bewildered while others were accusing; waiting for an answer. The news had come as such a shock to me I almost panicked, and that would have made things seem even worse. I would have made myself look really bad.

There had to be a logical explanation. Why would someone from a terrorist group claim they know me? Are they trying to use me to get a certain bit of information?

Before speaking, I took several deep breaths to stay calm. "He knows me? Why would he say that?"

"He didn't say why or how he knows you," The Major stated. "Just that he does and he needs to talk to you."

"Yeah, sure he does!" Edward shouted angrily. "He's probably leading her to a trap."

"We have the man in custody in the prison. He's behind bars and is kept under heavy surveillance. I am offering to escort Lightning to him."

Mustang leaned back in his chair. "If that is the case, then you have my permission to go. Unless she denies the request." His eyes shifted to me, waiting for an answer.

My eyes lowered to the floor. "I don't know what he wants with me. I don't even know anyone who would be in a terrorist group."

"Nobody would know someone personally who would be involved in one." The colonel implied. "However, those people would not be directly involved in the group and only perform on the sidelines and used only when they were desperately needed."

"You think Kale's a part of the terrorist group? That's ridiculous!" Edward shouted as his face turned red.

"That's not what I'm saying," said Mustang. "However, I would like to hear how Lightning is going to respond."

I glanced at him. "He claims he knows me? Fine, I'll go and see what he wants."

"Very well," Mustang replied. "Major Armstrong, you may escort her to the prison."

"Sir." Armstrong saluted and stepped to the side of the open door. I took that as he was waiting for me. Just as I stood up, a hand firmly gripped my wrist.

"I'm going with you, Kale." Edward said, his face filled with determination.

"Um…" I started.

"That's not a good idea, Ed" Mustang said. "The prisoner asked to see only her, we would lose any sort of trust he might have with us if someone else shows up. Besides, Major Armstrong will not be far away, so there's nothing to worry about if something happens."

Edward's metal hand gripped my wrist harder. "I don't care," he said, not taking his eyes off me. "We're partners and I should go with her."

"It's okay, Edward." I said softly, smiling at him. "Major Armstrong will be there."

His eyes flickered a little, and then seemed to dim as if the flame inside of him was dying. His face remained solemn, but his lips pursed. A sigh escaped through his nose as his metal grip loosened on my wrist, and then he dropped it. I brought my wrist up against my chest and rubbed away the soreness.

I turned to Major Armstrong, who was waiting patiently by the door, and walked toward him. Then I turned around and said to Edward, "Don't worry, I'll tell you everything, Ed." I was about to step out of the room, but I stopped myself and saluted Mustang. Then, I turned and walked out of the room with Major Armstrong following.

From the office, I could hear Mustang chuckling and saying, "She'll be okay, Ed. She's strong."

Edward responded in a tone I had only heard him use when talking about his brother. "Yeah, I know she is."

Major Armstrong and I were out in the hall way when he spoke to me. "You have a very loyal partner, Lightning. He would do anything for you."

I smile to myself as those words sank in. "Of course," I said. "He's my friend."


End file.
